Solomon Islands at risk of invasion, says PM Manasseh Sogavare

Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare says his country has been threatened ‘with invasion’ by opponents of the China security agreement.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says his country has been threatened “with invasion” by opponents of its security agreement with China as he chillingly declared Russia was not the aggressor in the Cuban missile crisis.

In an extraordinary address to parliament in defence of the controversial security agreement, Mr Sogavare said his country had been treated by critics of the pact like “kindergarten students walking around with Colt .45s in our hands”.

He pushed back, without naming the US or Australia, at both nations’ warnings that a Chinese military presence in Solomon Islands would not be tolerated.

“We deplore the continual demonstration of lack of trust by the concerned parties, and tacit warning of military intervention in Solomon Islands if their national interest is undermined in Solomon Islands,” Mr Sogavare said.

“In other words, we are threatened with invasion.

“What is more insulting, Mr Speaker, in this attitude, and therefore totally unacceptable, is we are being treated as kindergarten students walking around with Colt .45s in our hands, and therefore we need to be supervised. We are insulted.”

The attack followed Scott Morrison’s warning that a Chinese base in Solomon Islands would be a “red line” for Australia, and US Indo-Pacific co-ordinator Kurt Campbell’s declaration that the US would “respond accordingly” to Chinese a Chinese military presence in the country.

Echoing Chinese and Russian talking points, Mr Sogavare said there were “two sides” to the story of the Cuban missile crisis and the war in Ukraine.

“The full story of the Cuban missile crisis was never told to the public,” he told the Solomon Islands parliament on Tuesday.

“You know why? Because it is not good for the Integrity of some people.

“We understand that there is at least two sides to every situation we see happening in the world today, including the Ukraine crisis that the Western world is trying to get every nation to condemn.

“Russia was not the aggressor in the Cuban missile crisis. No.

“It was in response to the presence of American Jupiter ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey and the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, Soviet secretary Khrushchev agreed to Cuba’s request to establish nuclear missiles on the island to deter future invasion.”

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce earlier warned the security pact would result in “our own little Cuba off our coast”, in a reference to the October 1962 crisis in which Russia positioned ballistic missiles in the territory of America’s communist neighbour.

The Solomon Islands-China security agreement has raised the prospect – denied by the Sogavare government – of the development of a Chinese base within easy striking range of Australia.

The fiery Pacific leader, whose country is almost universally Christian, condemned nations which proclaimed “Christian values” but had waged “some of the bloodiest wars in the history of our planet”.

He also attacked references in Australia of the Solomon Islands being in Australia’s “backyard”.

Mr Sogavare said backyards were “where rubbish is collected and burned”, and “where we relieve ourselves”.

Morrison hoses down comments

Scott Morrison has hosed down the extraordinary statements by Mr Sogavare, arguing that Australia would respond to the challenge like “sensible, professional adult(s)”.

Speaking on Nine’s Today, the Prime Minister denied suggestions that the relationship had been fractured, as he pledged Australia would continue to work constructively with the Pacific nation.

“I’m just saying the relationship and the views of the relationship and the views of the Prime Minister he’s expressed and you know his sovereign country, he’s free to express whatever he likes,” Mr Morrison said.

“He’s made comments about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as well which we obviously don’t share his opinion on that issue either. We work constructively and patiently and we will work in a professional and calm way. That’s how we manage these issues.”

"That's how sensible, professional, adult governements respond to challenges like this."

Scott Morrison has responded to the Solomon Islands Prime Minister launching a war of words against the Australian government over "offensive" comments. #9Todaypic.twitter.com/V2R3a0imxv

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) May 4, 2022

‘As unhinged as Fidel Castro’

Former Australian Strategic Policy Institute head Peter Jennings said Mr Sogavare’s rhetoric was “as unhinged as Fidel Castro’s”.

“Sogavare should remember that the Cuban missile crisis ultimately left Cuba isolated from its neighbours in the Caribbean, with a mouldering economy, and its youth fighting Russia’s proxy wars in Africa,” he said.

Mr Jennings said Mr Sogavare’s reaction to Australian and US concerns over the China agreement showed “Australian politicians have been pandering to Pacific leaders with soft soap rhetoric about the Pacific family”.

“When a genuine crisis comes along sometimes we need to remind the region that Australia has security interests that need to be respected,” he said.