An investigation is underway to find out who is responsible for leaking the ‘China Security Treaty’ document.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare revealed this in Parliament yesterday.
“An investigation is ongoing to find out who is responsible,” Mr. Sogavare said.
He described the incident as a ‘serious matter.’
“Matters are classified and there are confidential matters, secret matters,” Mr. Sogavare explained.
He said as widely observed, now documents have leaked out from the public service and nothing is secret in terms of confidential documents.
Thus, he said they need to sit down and see how they can instill in the minds and hearts of the public servants that they are really committed to their ethics as public servants.
“Matters are classified and there are confidential matters, secret matters,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, Sogavare said national security matters are confidential and no one in his right mind would want to have public debate on it.
He explained the Standing Orders recognize that and caution on the types of questions and discussions that they allow ask and have on the floor of Parliament, and by matter the leaked document is secret.
“As the matter of fact the document that got leaked out is a draft working document of the treaty. A confidential document not meant for public discussions and so any discussions on that matter should stop there,” Sogavare said.
But, he said since it got leaked out, the good government intention is questioned.
However, he said will only discuss the policy rationale behind the government’s intention without discussing the details of the treaty.
He said since the leakage of the document he had explained the matter to the Prime Ministers of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Fiji and the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
“Solomon Islands security with Australia remains intact. Our traditional partner securities are always important to us and will remain so,” Sogavare said.
However, he said the country’s moving forward to achieve security needs is clear.
“We need to diversify the country’s relationship with other partners and what is wrong with that?” he questioned.
He made it clear the security approach is not done in a vacuum and not without due consideration to all of SI partners.
But, he added, it is sad that political perceptions have drawn conclusions to the country’s security interest as being insensitive to external issues.
By ESTHER NURIA
Newsroom, Honiara
