Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Solomons Foreign Minister rejects protests by Israel over Iran ties

Posted at 02:00 on 27 November, 2009 UTC

The Solomon Islands Foreign Minister says it was his country’s belief in the importance of human rights that led it to voting at the United Nations in support of the Goldstone report critical of Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.

William Haomae has also defended his country’s diplomatic ties with Iran after objections by Israel to the recent link-up.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry claims Iran is bribing countries that are friendly to Israel to vote against the Jewish state in the UN, and has sought an explanation from Honiara over why it was the only country in Oceania to vote for the Goldstone report.

Mr Haomae says all people should be treated equally

“That is the basis of our vote at the United Nations. It so happened that Israel is implicated in this thing. It is not a one-sided report. It criticised the Hamas government in Gaza and it also criticised some of the abuses in Gaza by the Israeli army.”

William Haomae.