Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo has confirmed to the ABC that he is not interested in being part of the Australian government's new Pacific Solution for processing and resettling asylum seekers.
HE Solomon Islands has opened the door to a possible asylum seeker processing deal with Australia, claiming it was ready to talk about the issue if a proposal was put to the small developing nation.
In the wake of the multi-billion agreement to resettle Australia-bound refugees in PNG, the Solomon Islands Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo said his country was prepared to consider a proposal.
Responding to questions from The Daily Telegraph yesterday, Mr Lilo said he expected the Solomon Islands to be asked to contribute to dealing with the record numbers of asylum seekers.
"We stand ready to talk about it because a regional solution is very important," Mr Lilo said after a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr in Honiara. "There is space for us to be engaged to make sure we have a strong, secure region.
"These are issues that have been proposed. We will give ourselves some time to think.
"But what I have said is that we are part of the region and I'm sure ... in the future we may be pressed to consider issues like this."
Mr Carr said the issue was likely to be discussed with the pacific neighbour in the future but backed down on raising the issue directly with Mr Lilo in a private meeting yesterday.
The Daily Telegraph understands Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is dubious of being able to extend the PNG asylum seeker re-settlement program to the Solomon Islands.
While law and order has been restored to the country since the 1998-2003 civil war, it is believed the troubled nation was not yet ready to cope with a regional processing facility.
"I didn't come here to raise the issue," Mr Carr saidhttp://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/solomon-islands-are-an-option-for-asyl...