By Linny Folau

In spite of the recent diplomatic turmoil between the Solomon Islands and Australia, which may result in an early termination of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), Tonga stands in full support of continuing the mission.

The Commander of the Tonga Defence Services, Brigadier Tau'’aika '‘Uta'atu confirmed today, that Tonga is still fully committed to RAMSI and would continue its deployment of Tongan troops to the Solomon Islands.

He said that Tonga's fourth platoon would begin its three months deployment at the Solomons tomorrow November 1, when it arrives from Darwin, Australia, after two weeks of training since departing Tonga on October 9. The 34-members platoon will return to Tonga in February 2007, when their term of deployment ends.

The Commander added that apart from the Special Taskforce that was agreed to by Forum leaders last week to be set up for the review of the peacekeeping mission to the Solomons, RAMSI was on schedule to be reviewed next year around February.

Tau'aika said that the Taskforce will look at the continuance of RAMSI, "but whatever the outcome of the Taskforce review mission, I am certain that Tonga will continue to be a part of RAMSI."

RAMSI is a combined peacekeeping force, which consists of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Tonga, Nauru and Kiribati personnel, was set up in 2003 to provide security to the people of the Solomon Islands when it experienced civil unrest.

Since 2003 Tonga has sent three platoons with the fourth one arriving in Honiara tomorrow.

Tau'aika said the first two platoons deployed in the Solomon remained there for six months. After the one year anniversary of RAMSI that was celebrated in July 2004 whereby law and order began to be restored slowly in the country the participating forces of the peacekeeping mission began to downsize their troops and went on rotating countries, and took turns in deploying their troops to the Solomons for three months, which is still being carried out up to the present.

The RAMSI operation is very vital and it is important that it continues to operate because it has done so much in regards to nation building in the Solomon, said the Commander.