Canberra: The government said yesterday it would respond with "dignified silence" to a threat by the Solomon Islands to kick Australia out of a regional assistance mission, further inflaming a diplomatic row between the countries.
On Friday, Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, angered by Canberra's pursuit of the Solomons' attorney general over child sex charges, said Australia could be replaced as the main contributor to a regional mission that is made up of troops, police and aid personnel and has been supporting law and order in the islands since July 2003. Its arrival helped end several years of ethnic conflict.
"We already have contingency arrangements in place to replace the Australian military and police contingent," Sogavare said.
"I don't want foreigners to continue to push this government to a point where we will make a decision that will not be in our strategic interests. Respect our laws, and we will respect you."
Australia has attempted to extradite the Solomons' suspended attorney general, Julian Moti, who is also an Australian citizen, to face the sex charges.
