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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Sept. 1) - Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has been further insulted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard's letter delivered to him by special envoy Robert Cotton last Thursday.

Sir Michael is also fuming over Mr Howard's push to place Australians in strategic decision making positions in PNG's public service to help deal with corruption, public sector reforms, law and order problems and financial management.

"This is down-right neo-colonialism, Australians have insulted the Prime Minister again, he is really riled up," a close aide to Sir Michael said.

Sir Michael was visibly upset soon after he met with Mr Cotton who outlined the new aid proposals as directed by Mr Howard.

Mr Cotton had told reporters prior to the meeting that he came to Port Moresby with specific instructions to deliver a message to the Prime Minister.

Senior advisors in the Prime Minister's Office were also angered by the...

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (SIBC, Aug. 31) - There has been overwhelming support expressed for the proposed state government system to be adopted in Solomon Islands. This was indicated Wednesday by a show of hands by the seven Provincial teams of the Constitutional Review Project present at a briefing in Honiara.

The support was confirmed following the completion of the second round of consultation on the proposed state government system in the provinces. There was also unanimous support for States to have the majority shares in any revenue or money they generate and a lesser percentage to the Federal government.

The Provinces also agreed that traditional leaders be recognized and given more power to be active participants in their state affairs. There is also support for the proposed Bill of Rights and support for more women to be involved in politics.

However there was some reservation on the Congress of Governors under the proposed state government system as...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, Sept. 1) - The Asian Development Bank said it plans to increase annual lending to Fiji.

It said from next year, loans will total 40 million US dollars

Five loans totaling 120 million US will be made over the next two years to support projects to rehabilitate airports, upgrade roads, develop tourism in the outer islands, promote urban development, and expand rural electrification.

But the ADB also sounded a note of warning.

It said while the economy had made a significant recovery since the political upheavals in 2000, constitutional, land tenure, and sugar industry restructuring issues still needed to be resolved.

The Australian Associated Press said the bank planned to open a Pacific sub-regional office in Suva in February next year.

September 1, 2003

Radio New Zealand International: http://www.rnzi.com/

MELBOURNE, Australia (Radio Australia, Sept. 1) - Defence minista bilong Russia ibin sutim tok long despela kain pasin bilong Russia long wetim ol sans oltaim - pastaim long oli mekim sampela samting bilong abrisim ol birua isave kamapim long ol ship na submarin bilongen isave igo daun long solwara.

Em ibin mekim despela toktok bihain long wanpela nuclear-powered submarine ibin igo daun long solwara na 9-pela kru ibin idai.

Despela olpela attack submarine ibin igo daun long Barents Sea insait long wanpela taim nogut long solwara long sarere taim narapela ship ibin wok long pulim em igo long wanpela scrap yard.

Despela birua i mekim Russia i tingtim beck wanpela taim nogut - bihain long wanpela sabmarine oli kolim Kursk ibin igo daun long solwara long despela same eria tripela yar igo pinis we emi kostim Russia bigpela moring tru bilong traim stretim na klim ol heve despela sabmarin ibin kamapim .

Despela ibin mekim minister Sergei Ivanov i tingting...