Defence Minister Richard Marles could not confirm whether a recent ban on U.S. naval ship visits to the Solomon Islands extended to Australian vessels.
On Aug. 29, the U.S. Embassy in Canberra revealed the Solomon Islands had notified the U.S. authorities of a “moratorium” on all naval visits pending updates to its “protocol procedures.”
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation,” a spokesperson told The Epoch Times.
The suspension follows an earlier incident on Aug. 23, when the U.S. Coast Guard cutter, the Oliver Henry, was met with radio silence when it requested permission for a scheduled port call. The ship was later diverted to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea….