Chair of the Pacific Island Forum and PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is expected to convey concerns of the forum on Human rights in the West Papuan Province to Indonesia.
This was the outcome announced by O’Neill this evening after much debate among leaders.
O’Neill is also expected to consult the Indonesia government on a fact finding mission by PIF to West Papua.
“We declare that this is a consultation process and we need to work together and the Indonesia government must be commended for their efforts to ensure more autonomy is given to West Papua,” he said.
West Papua Human rights issue was a key agenda discussed today by the leaders.
The Solomon Islands government had proposed three issues of West Papua to be considered:
• Full Status
• Fact finding mission to West Papua
• Self determination
O’Neill says the PNG government has been communicating with the Indonesia government and it is very encouraged by what they are hearing.
“It is just the beginning for the many steps that are before us," he added.
Yesterday Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdurrahman Mohammad Fachir said the Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ Summit (PIF) is not the place to discuss West Papua issues.
He said it was irrelevant to the main objective and the purpose of the establishment of the PIF.