The Solomon Islands have banned naval vessels from "all partner countries" including the U.S. from making port "pending updates in protocol procedures," the U.S. Embassy in Australia announced on Tuesday.
Bloomberg reported the temporary moratorium, according to an embassy spokesperson.
Last week, a U.S. Coast Guard ship was ignored by island authorities after requesting permission to stop and refuel, a request that a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council described as "routine." Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said in a statement on Tuesday that the ship was given permission, but had already left their territory by the time that was relayed to the vessel.
Sogavare said that "unfortunate experiences" previously involving foreign military ships entering the Solomon Islands' waters without prior permission had prompted a change in procedure.
"Once the new mechanism is in place, we will inform you all," he said. "We anticipate the new process to be smoother and timelier."
Bloomberg notes that U.S. relations with the Solomon Islands have worsened since the Pacific nation made a security pact with China, one of the first of its kind in the region. This prompted the U.S. and Australia to begin overhauling diplomatic outreach to the islands.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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