Morrison defends management of Australia’s ties to Solomons

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he is following security officials’ advice in managing relations with the Solomon Islands after its leader alleged he’d been threatened “with invasion.” Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare told Parliament on Wednesday that opponents of his new security pact with China have threatened his country and insulted it. Sogavare did not name the opponents. Both the United States and Australia have told the Solomon Islands that a Chinese military presence in the Pacific island nation would not be tolerated. Morrison says the alleged threat of invasion isn’t true. He defended how he’s handled the matter against accusations from his election opponent that the pact was an Australian policy failure.