Sawt Falasteen - Pacific Island leaders back 'ocean of peace' at fraught summit

After a day of largely closed-door talks in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the 18 Pacific Islands Forum leaders endorsed a Fiji-backed push for a statement proclaiming the region's cohesion and its desire for peace and climate action.

A heavy police presence guarded the leaders, who met in the Friendship Hall, near a 10,000-seat National Stadium built and financed by the Chinese government. Once pot-holed roads had been repaired ahead of the gathering.

"The 'ocean of peace' declaration is a reclamation of our sovereignty and our shared destiny," said Jeremiah Manele, prime minister of Solomon Islands -- host of this year's gathering.

"It is a solemn vow that our seas, air and lands will never again be drawn into the vortex of great power rivalry," he said.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the declaration "will demonstrate that our region is free from militarisation".

"Emerging trends and patterns of diluting the global rule-based order is of utmost concern for small states like us," he said.

- Great power competition -

Alongside member states -- including key players Australia and New Zealand -- gatherings of the Pacific Islands Forum are typically attended by dozens more countries as observers or dialogue partners.

But the Solomon Islands has barred most of those partners from attending, sparking accusations that Honiara worked at Beijing's behest to exclude long-time participant Taiwan.

The move prompted concern among fellow Pacific nations, of which three -- Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu -- still recognise Taipei.

On Tuesday, Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said Taipei regretted its exclusion but looked forward to next year, when Palau hosts the forum.

And speaking to AFP after the declaration, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr said there had "absolutely" been outside meddling in the summit.

"We should engage and be inclusive and have all partners here," he said.

"We shouldn't say 'this partner should be allowed and that partner shouldn't be' -- everybody should be here, because in solving our challenges, we need everybody," he said.

China counts the Solomon Islands among its closest partners and backers in the South Pacific and the two signed a secretive security pact in 2022.

Australia has sought to shore up links across the region to counter China's growing presence.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in neighbouring Vanuatu on Tuesday to discuss a deal -- known as the Nakamal Agreement -- deepening Canberra's links to the Pacific nation.

But Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat said there were concerns that the wording of the deal would limit his country's ability to access funds for "critical infrastructure" from other nations.

- 'Obvious' meddling -

Observers warned a split over China's role in Wednesday's forum could undermine essential regional cooperation on everything from climate change to health, security and transnational crime.

New Zealand's top diplomat Winston Peters told AFP last month it was "obvious" that outside forces were meddling in the summit.

Peters, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other officials have warned the banning of dialogue partners could affect external aid to the Pacific.

Communist China has never ruled Taiwan, but Beijing insists the island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.

China bristles at any official diplomatic recognition of the democratic island.

And the two have long vied for influence in the South Pacific, with Beijing spending hundreds of millions of dollars building sports stadiums, presidential palaces, hospitals and roads across the region.

On Thursday, summit participants will head to the picturesque seaside settlement of Munda, more than 300 kilometres (about 190 miles) from the capital, for a leaders' retreat.

Beyond China, key issues causing friction include a review of the forum's regional architecture, which will decide who can participate.

Climate change is also a major talking point on the back of Vanuatu's win in the International Court of Justice, which in July declared states are obliged to tackle the issue and reparations could be awarded if they do not.

H.Jarrar--SF-PST