Pacific

Vanuatu Prime Minister to push Papua cause at regional summits

19:11 pm on 21 June 2010

Vanuatu's Prime Minister, Edward Natapei, has said he will sponsor the issue of Papua to the Melanesian Spearhead Group and Pacific Islands Forum meetings.

He will propose that the independent movement of West Papua be granted Observer Status within these two regional bodies.

Mr Natapei was speaking during discussion on a motion seeking UN support to clarify the legality of the process by which Indonesia acquired Papua in the 1960s.

The Prime Minister also says his government will apply for Papua to be relisted with the UN Decolonisation Committee.