The Solomon Islands’ prime minister said Monday that navy vessels from Australia and New Zealand are exempt from a temporary ban that resulted in U.S. and British vessels being turned away in August.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Parliament that foreign military vessels deployed under the Solomon Islands International Assistance Force—which it signed with Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji—will be exempt.
Sogavare added that foreign military vessels responding to a request for assistance from the Solomon Islands government will also be exempt from the ban.
He said the government needed to assess the benefits and risks of military vessel visits to the Solomon Islands as more nations joined in the illegal fishing patrol, including the United States, Britain, Australia, and New Zealand….