A dozen commanders of the two militias signed the peace treaty that was negotiated over the past six days in the northern Australian town of Townsville. After six days of talks in the northern Australian town of Townsville last week, rival ethnic militiamen from the Solomon Islands signed a temporary disarmament agreement in exchange for promises of separate economic development. Before the meeting began, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer personally warned delegates that the Solomon Islands would disintegrate if talks failed. In a radio interview that followed, he said: “The Solomon Islands are on the brink…. Its economy has collapsed. Its exports have largely disappeared. We are very committed to the successful progress of this peace process. Previously, the Howard government had ruled out troop engagement for the Solomon Islands, but was faced with a unravelling situation in the heart of the Southwest Pacific, which Canberra considers its sphere of influence. Three visits by Australian and New Zealand navy ships to begin ceasefire negotiations had not stopped the fighting that killed more than 70 people and driven thousands from their homes. Six previous peace agreements concluded between June 1999 and May 12, last through the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government of solomon Islands had collapsed. TOWNSVILLE, Australia (October 15, 2000 – Radio Australia/PINA Nius Online) —The rival militias of the Solomon Islands have signed an agreement to end their war that has killed 100 people, Radio Australia reported today.
To convene this unprecedented offshore meeting, the Australian government called on 130 delegates in Air Force Hercules aircraft at Garbutt Air Base in Townsville. The talks, which began on October 10, were supposed to last four days, but in the absence of an agreement, delegates were kept in Australia until an agreement was finally reached. Far from solving one of the problems faced by ordinary people in the Solomon Islands, the Townsville Agreement is primarily aimed at defending Australia`s economic and strategic interests. Companies controlled by Australia and others will now try to protect their activities in partnership with one or the other ethnic elite. But there is no money to provide such facilities. The Solomon Islands, with a population of less than 500,000 people, spread over six main islands and about 340 small islands and small atolls, are now bankrupt. Despite the agreement, no commitment was made by the Howard government, which has already halted all aid until a ceasefire is signed.
