MSG meeting in Papua New Guinea, will ULMWP win 'full membership'?

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MSG meeting in Papua New Guinea, will ULMWP win 'full membership'?

Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi,

Minggu, 11 Februari 2018 — 20:19

The MSG Summit is underway in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, 10-15 February 2018, ULMWP is optimistic it will win full membership - Photos: Facebook Page The Kreative Savage

Jakarta, Jubi - Updates related to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) membership guidelines will be discussed at the next MSG Leadership meeting on Wednesday (14/2/2018) at Stanley Hotel, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

The criteria for the Observer and Associate Members status and the new Membership Guidelines will be submitted directly to the MSG Leaders' discussion table for their consideration in deciding.

"The decision for a new membership is the prerogative of the Leaders forum that will be discussed Wednesday," said Director General of the MSG Secretariat, Ambassador Amena Yauvoli to PACNEWS in Port Moresby, Saturday (10/2).

In addition, the secretariat will also report to the Leaders forum regarding the status of the Secretariat's changes as mandated by the Governing Council in December 2016, "including other reports regarding the 2017 PNG election, the Arms Trade Tracts report, offshore fishing and updates on membership guidelines, "Said Ambassador Yauvoli.

The meeting that has been open from 10 to 15 February 2018 at Stanley Hotel, Port Moresby, PNG was attended prime by the new Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Rick Houenipwela; Prime Minister Vanuatu, Charlot Salwai and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ralph Regenvanu; and the delegation of FLNKS (Front de Liberation Nationale Kanak et Socialiste) led by Victor Tutugoro.

While Fiji will be attended by deputy ministerial level, Minister of Defense and National Security, Queen Inoke Kubuabola.

The delegation of West Papua, in this case the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) with the Observer status has also been present. Similarly, Indonesia is an Associate Member. East Timor, which has the status of the Observer, is also reported to be present.

From 10-12 February the 21st MSG Summit was initiated by a meeting of senior officials (Senior Officials Meeting-SOM) and foreign ministers. On Sunday (11/2) senior officials discussed Work Program and Budget; Monday (12/2) the Foreign Ministers will convene to set up reports that will be on the agenda at the Leaders meeting on Wednesday.

On Tuesday (13/2) the main event will be filled by the submission of MSG leadership to host Papua New Guinea from the Solomon Islands.

"The traditional handover ceremony will take place Tuesday afternoon at the Sir John Guise Stadium marking the official delivery of MSG's leadership from Solomon Islands Prime Minister Rick Houenipwela to Papua New Guinea's PM Peter O'Neill.

Reported by The National PNG (9/2), the summit, entitled "Strengthening trade and sustainable development for inclusive Melanesia", is one of the important forums in the Pacific region that addresses issues directly related to Melanesian communities and communities in the Pacific.

"There are a lot of challenges we must face together with today's global society, and the best way to handle them is to work together for the benefit of our people," PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said ahead of the opening of the MSG Summit.

Support ULMWP full membership

Previously speaking to Vanuatu Daily Post (ULT), the ULMWP Executive represented by his spokesperson, Jakob Rumbiak, said he believes PM Peter O'Neill as Chair of the MSG forum will support the full West Papers' full membership application through ULMWP.

The ULMWP executive, according to Rumbiak, has fulfilled the request of the PNG PM to be more united, as evidenced by the results of last week's ULMWP meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, which he called has strengthened his resolve and made ULMWP more organized.

At the meeting, said ULMWP has made some changes in its leadership, structure, rules and membership.

The optimism of ULMWP's full membership status was also revealed by other ULMWP leaders, Paula Makabory.

Reported by Vanuatu Daily Post (7/2), Paula quoted Indonesia's statement which according to him is a manifestation of Jakarta's recognition of West Papua's position in MSG.

"Indonesia says that 'Papuans are our citizens but they are your people, referring to the legal place (people of Papua) in the MSG,' said Paula.

He also stressed that the MSG nakamal (a traditional meeting place in Vanuatu-wikipedia ed) is a great place to solve the West Papua problem, "so that the people of West Papua should be accepted into the nakamal for the sake of solving their problems."

Vanuatu Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Ralph Regenvanu was quoted as saying Vanuatu Daily Post (10/2), as far as he was monitoring until last week, West Papua has not become the agenda of the proposed discussion of MSG.

Since then he said he had written letters to the authorities to ensure West Papua was included in the talks, and promised to ensure it shortly after arriving at PNG. 

"I will make sure West Papua is put on the agenda (discussion)," he said.

On Saturday (10/2), the SOM meeting took place which was marked by the handover of SOM leadership authority from Peter Keni-lore jnr, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands to Executing Officer of Foreign Affairs and Secretary of Commerce of PNG, Babara Age.

It was also mentioned that the West Papuan delegation had been present as Observer at the MSG SOM meeting on that Saturday.

Support weir effort

In Jakarta, late last January, a Working Meeting of the House of Representatives Commission I, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto and Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu discussed specifically the efforts to prevent support from the Free Papua Organization (OPM) to the international community.

Reported by Tirto.id (29/1), Vice Chairman of Commission I, Hanafi Rais confirmed that the meeting is keen to give serious and continuous attention to the support of Papua Merdeka.

"We want the government, especially Kemenhan and TNI Commander to have serious and continuous attention, not only on the basis of cases," said Hanafi at the DPR Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta.

Hanafi also revealed that the meeting also discussed the deterrence of foreign support for the Free Papua Movement, especially from the South Pacific countries, New Zealand, Australia and the United Nations.

On that occasion, Defense Minister Ryamizard once again expressed his indignation over the involvement of other countries in the Papua issue.

"I used to say in Australia, to Australia, the Solomon Islands, I never interfere or interfere with the affairs of other countries.If other countries interfere my country, I do not want," Ryamizard said as quoted tirto.id Monday (29 / 1). (*)