McKinnon Confident Historic Ceasefire Will Be Signed

  • Don McKinnon
Foreign Affairs and Trade

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Don McKinnon, confirmed today that he will attend a ceremony on Bougainville next week to witness the signing of an historic ceasefire agreement between the PNG Government and Bougainvillean rebel leaders.

The ceasefire follows nine years of fighting on the Island, during which an estimated 15,000 people have died.

Mr McKinnon said he fully expects the signing will take place, down-playing reports earlier in the week that rebel leader Francis Ona could de-rail the peace process.

"Over the past two days I have had discussions with a number of key players on the Island and in Port Moresby. They are in no doubt that the overwhelming majority of people on the island want peace.

"Francis Ona and his small group of supporters have chosen not to take part in the negotiations. They have distanced themselves from the growing momentum for peace."

The ceasefire ceremony is being held at Arawa, the former provincial capital of Bougainville. A number of senior ministers from around the region are expected to attend, including Foreign Minsters from Australia, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu. Also attending will be a high level ministerial delegation from Port Moresby.

Mr McKinnon departs for Port Moresby on a commercial flight on 29 April, returning to Wellington 1 May. He will fly between Port Moresby and Bougainville on an RNZAF Hercules.

For the last nine months New Zealand has played a key role in bringing peace to Bougainville. In July last year, NZ successfully brokered talks between rebel factions (Burnham I) at Burnham Military Camp. New Zealand hosted talks between Bougainville and PNG (Burnham II) in October 1997 which led to the Burnham Truce, where all parties agreed to immediately cease armed conflict. From November 1997 New Zealand led a regional Truce Monitoring Group on Bougainville.

In January 1998, the leaders of all parties involved in the conflict, including PNG Prime Minister, Bill Skate, were hosted in New Zealand at Lincoln University. They signed the Lincoln Agreement, resulting in a permanent and irrevocable ceasefire coming into effect on the Island from 30 April 1998.