Vanuatu Puts Off Decision on Opening of Libyan Mission

Prime Minister Walter Lini told Parliament on Tuesday that he has postponed indefinitely a decision on opening a Libyan diplomatic mission here.

Lini said the move was not the result of outside pressures and that Vanuatu would keep the matter under “active review.” He also said that some of Vanuatu’s South Pacific neighbors were unnecessarily alarmed over his island state’s Libyan connection, which was “nothing sinister or revolutionary.”

He did not name the countries but Australia has been one of the most outspoken critics of Vanuatu’s links with Libya. Vanuatu and Libya set up formal ties last year.

The Libyan issue has soured relations between Vanuatu and Australia, and two weeks ago Lini banned visits by Australian warships and aircraft. Australia has accused Libya of trying to destabilize the traditionally pro-Western region and last week ordered the closing of the Libyan People’s Bureau in Canberra and expelled its two diplomats.