Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare did not attend a weekend dawn service for a key World War II battle organized by the US, with local media reporting it as a “snub.”
The Solomon Star News said Sogavare was due to give a speech at a memorial service that was attended by US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and ministers and officials from Australia, Japan and New Zealand on Sunday, but he did not appear.
Sherman later told a news conference she was sorry that the prime minister had missed a great opportunity to build a new partnership between the US and the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Star News reported yesterday.
Photo: AP
Sogavare’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sherman met with Sogavare later on Sunday to discuss US aid programs, a statement from the prime minister’s office said yesterday.
At a ceremony yesterday, Sherman praised the role of Solomon Islanders in assisting the US in World War II.
Photo: AFP / Mannar Levo
A Japanese Navy sailor was stabbed during the service at Bloody Ridge, a spokesman at the Japanese embassy in the Solomon Islands said.
The motivation for the attack was unknown, the spokesman added.
Radio New Zealand spoke with medics who said the sailor would require stitches, but was doing well. Bloody Ridge community chief Wesley Ramo said the suspect was from a neighboring community, was under the influence and mentally unstable.
Also attending the ceremony were Japanese State Minister of Defense Makoto Oniki and New Zealand Minister of Defence Peeni Henare.
The suspect reportedly tackled the sailor to the ground during the attack before locals and US military personnel stepped in and detained him. Police then took him away and the ceremony resumed after a short break.
Additional reporting by AP
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