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Discord at Pacific meet

NADI (FIJI): Leaders from 16 South Pacific nations started their annual meeting on regional cooperation here on Tuesday, amid fears that it would be overshadowed by the diplomatic row between Australia and its neighbours. Australia has accused Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Solomon Islands of shielding wanted lawyer Julian Moti, who is facing child sex charges. Canberra has suspended ministerial contacts with PNG and reports said Australian police have raided the offices of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in the country's capital of Honiara. In an apparent reference to the raid, the outgoing Chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Michael Somare, from Papua New Guinea told the opening ceremony that any regional cooperation ``must be based on mutual respect.'' Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase went further to call for ``no interference in the sovereignty'' of other countries. — Xinhua

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