PM travelling to PNG for Pacific Forum

Having settled on the shape of her new Government, Prime Minister Helen Clark will attend a high-level Pacific meeting next week.

She confirmed yesterday that she would attend the Pacific Islands Forum in Papua New Guinea from next Tuesday to Thursday.

She will visit the Solomon Islands on the way and also spend time with PNG leaders.

"While the forum will be the major focus of my visit, I will also have the opportunity to meet with Papua New Guinea leaders about strengthening our relationship," Helen Clark said.

PNG is chairing the forum, which aims to achieve economic growth, sustainable development, good governance and security this year.

The key objective of the forum is to adopt the Pacific Plan - an agreement for more co-operation and better use of regional resources.

Regional security will also be on the leaders' agenda.

New Zealand police and on occasion defence personnel have been in the Solomon Islands as part of Ramsi (Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands) since July 2003.

"Ramsi has been a significant regional success but Solomon Islands has a long way to go before the task is over," Helen Clark said.

Ramsi had stabilised law and order and now the focus was on reconstruction and development of the society and economy, she said.

A spokesman for new Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters said it was unlikely he would attend the forum or the meeting of foreign ministers so soon after being appointed.

Forum focus

The Pacific Islands Forum next week will discuss:

* Regional trade between island countries with Australia and New Zealand.

* HIV/Aids strategies and measures against a possible avian flu outbreak.

* Regional security and the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (Ramsi).

- NZPA