14 Aug 2003

Pacific Forum meeting opens in Auckland this afternoon

9:44 am on 14 August 2003

Pacific leaders are arriving in Auckland for the formal opening of the Pacific Islands Forum this afternoon.

The situation in Solomon Islands, security and Australia's proposals for greater regional co-operation are expected to dominate the leaders retreat tomorrow, and forum meeting on Saturday.

Our political staff say much attention is focused on the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, who is expected to put forward proposals for a regional police training initiative based in Fiji.

The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has given cautious endorsement to the plan, but says it will be up to the Island states to express interest in such ideas.