Solomon Islands won't release security pact with China because of non-disclosure clause
Matthew Wale says his hands are tied and he cannot release his country's security deal with China publicly. (ABC News: Chrisnrita Aumanu-Leong)
In short:
Solomon Islands will not release the security pact it has signed with China.
Prime Minister Matthew Wale says he cannot publish it because of a non-disclosure clause in the deal.
What's next?
Mr Wale says he will push for citizens of Solomon Islands to get visa-free access to Australia as part of a new deal being negotiated with the federal government.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale has declared he will not release a high-profile security pact with China because he cannot legally break a non-disclosure clause buried in the agreement.
Mr Wale has also compared a new treaty which his country will negotiate with Australia to the landmark Falepili Union with Tuvalu and the stalled Nakamal Agreement with Vanuatu, vowing to press for visa-free access for Solomon Islands citizens as part of negotiations with Canberra.
The new prime minister faced the press at Honiara's airport on Wednesday after visiting both Australia and New Zealand on his first overseas trip since taking power in May.
In Canberra last week Mr Wale confirmed Australia and Solomon Islands would begin negotiations on a new treaty while flagging he would "review" the contentious 2022 security agreement with Beijing.
Matthew Wale visited Australia earlier this month after being elected prime minister of Solomon Islands. (ABC News: Adam Kennedy)
But Mr Wale also indicated he might not release the text of the security pact, despite the fact he repeatedly called for it to be published while in opposition, because of legal restrictions.
On Wednesday afternoon he went further, saying it was legally impossible to publish the final document because the government of Manasseh Sogavare had made binding commitments to the Chinese government when it signed the agreement in 2022.
"Unfortunately because of the previous government, the security agreement with China has a non-disclosure clause inside, so we can't disclose it," Mr Wale said.
"Although I have said before I will disclose it, it's a legal document, and as the prime minister in a responsible government, I cannot do it."
PM flags future rule changes
The exact terms of the non-disclosure clause are not clear, although a leaked draft of the security pact said "neither party shall disclose the cooperation information to a third party" without the "written consent of the other party".
Mr Wales said he wanted to change the rules in Solomon Islands so that the same mistake was not repeated in the future.
"We will have to change the standing orders for when any government wants to sign any treaty with another party, it must be made transparent in parliament and open to parliament scrutiny," he said.
"We do not want any executive government to feel they can do anything without scrutiny … but it is what it is, for now."
The prime minister also said the new treaty being negotiated with Australia would help create "certainty" for both nations, saying "distrust" had crept into the relationship under the Sogavare and Manele governments, and the new agreement would create clear "obligations" for both countries.
While he stressed that China remained a good friend and partner for Solomon Islands, he suggested the former government had unsettled the region by freezing out Australia.
"Solomon Islands will not be the source of uncertainty and instability in the region when it comes to the security of the region and security of Solomon Islands," he said.
"Creating strategic uncertainty … this is not good for our partners."
He also suggested the new treaty could be similar to agreements which Australia has struck or is negotiating with a host of Pacific countries, including pacts with Tuvalua, Nauru and Papua New Guinea, which have seen the federal government ramp up support in return for security commitments.
"We wouldn't be the first, of course you are aware of the Falepili agreement with Tuvalu, the Nakamal [agreement] in Vanuatu … PNG has also concluded [an agreement] and I understand Fiji too will conclude one," he said.
"We won't be alone. We wouldn't be the first, but we will be one of them."
Australia has opened resettlement pathways for Tuvalu citizens under the Falepili Union, in part because of the Pacific nation's acute exposure to climate change, and both Vanuatu and Fiji have been pushing for more liberal migration and travel pathways to Australia during negotiations with the government.
Mr Wale said Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke had been "very positive" about liberalising visa rules for Solomon Islands citizens, but flagged he would push for more fundamental changes.
"They will look at some initial steps to take to make it easier for Solomon islanders to go [to Australia] but we are [also] looking for a long-term understanding," he said.
"And that will form part of the discussions."