Defense pact with US 'encroaches on our sovereignty,' says ex-Papua New Guinea premier

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) - A former Papua New Guinea prime minister raised concerns Thursday over a newly signed defense pact with the US, alleging it "encroaches" on the Pacific island nation's sovereignty.

Citing Article 3 of the Papua New Guinea-US Defense Cooperation Agreement, which grants immunity to US military personnel, Peter O'Neill said the section "explicitly states" that the country is "relinquishing its jurisdiction over visiting forces, granting exclusive criminal jurisdiction rights to the US military personnel" he told the Post-Courier daily, based in the capital Port Moresby.

The agreement also grants exclusive civil and administrative jurisdiction over US personnel to the US government during their duty, he said.

“When talking about ownership of infrastructures, nothing will be fixed to the ground and they will remove them and go away with them,” he said about the US forces and what they might build on the islands.

“I can’t see any agreement about training of our personnel, I can’t see any of our personnel being engaged with the US Army and I can’t see any specific investment in the infrastructure in the country,” O’Neill added.

Signed last month, the 15-year Defense Cooperation Agreement has been made public for the first time after it was proposed in Papua New Guinea's parliament, granting "unimpeded access" to the US military to key defense facilities in the island nation, including the joint Papua New Guinea-Australia Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island.