New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- Palau "respects" the Solomon Islands' decision to exclude Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) dialogue partners when it hosts the annual leaders' meeting in Honiara next month.

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has sent letters to PIF member states suggesting a move to restrict partners, including China, the United States and Taiwan, from the gathering next month.

This will not be the first time a host of the Leaders Meeting has wanted external partners excluded.

"Palau acknowledges and respects the decision by host, Solomon Islands, to defer the partners' dialogues to 2026," the Palau President's Office said in a statement to RNZ Pacific.

"This decision does allow us to focus on the critical intra-regional issues at this ye...