Results for Foreign Affairs

Tonga was one of 21 countries absent from voting at the United Nations headquarters, New York, on December 21, when the UN passed a resolution opposing the United States' unilateral recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Samoa was also absent. While Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu attended but abstained from voting. Among the 128 countries that supported the resolution were New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

China wants to share its development experiences with other countries, with a belief that everybody in the world shares the same future, Pacific Island journalists learned this week when they visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. By Linny Folau.

Ambassadors to Tonga are presenting their credentials to HM King Tupou VI at the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa this week during Diplomatic Week.

American, Dean Jay Fletcher (54) who is wanted in Tonga on the charge of brutally murdering his wife in July 2016 has been ordered released in Hawaii, after the United States District Court on November 1 ordered the dismissal of his extradition. The Tonga Government sought Fletcher's extraditon for the offenses of murder, manslughter, and inflicting grievous bodily harm. However, the US Secretary of State had "determined that Fletcher could not be guaranteed a fair trial in Tonga" because he did not have funds to defend himself.

Ordinary Tongan passports are in short supply due to unexpected increase in demand, which is causing delays in issuing some passports. Non-urgent applicants have been told the new stock is not expected until October.

The United States Government is still considering the extradition of Dean Jay Fletcher, an American citizen who escaped police custody in Vava’u last year after being charged with the murder of his wife on their yacht Sea Oak.

Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tuku’aho presented her diplomatic credentials to the Governor General of Papua New Guinea, Mr Bob Dadae, KStJ, in Port Moresby on Tuesday. She is the High Commissioner of Tonga to Papua New Guinea in addition to her duties as High Commissioner of Tonga to Australia.

Methamphetamine, criminal deportees and outlaw motorcycle gangs are the three main threats in policing the Pacific Region according to a 2016 Transnational Organised Crime Assessment. While some 35 criminal deportees are returned to Tonga every year, Tonga Police revealed today that it is the gravity of their reoffending that concerns law enforcement because some criminal deportees have killed again.

On Commonwealth Day today, March 13, Queen Elizabeth II spoke of a peace-building Commonwealth and the importance of respect and "defending the dignity of every individual and community."