24 Oct 2006

PNG's prime minister lashes out at Australia's leaders

7:50 am on 24 October 2006

Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister has lashed out at Australia's leaders, branding them arrogant and insulting ahead of today's Pacific Islands forum in Fiji.

The leaders of PNG and Vanuatu have joined the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands in condemning Australian police involvement in a raid on his office last week.

Australia has dismissed suggestions it was involved in the raid.

The PNG leader Sir Michael Somare says the raid was an affront to another country's sovereign rights and showed disrespect to Australia's pacific neighbours.

Australia's relations with PNG and the Solomons have become strained over failed attempts to extradite the Solomons' attorney-general designate on child sex charges.