India, Aug. 15 -- Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter Shanel Agovaka, is defending his government's decision to limit the in-person attendance of dialogue partners at next month's Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting (PIFLM) in Honiara.

He has attributed the move to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat's failure to fulfil commitments made by leaders during last year's summit in Tonga.

"Our focus is not on China or Taiwan," Agovaka said.

"Our focus is on the region, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Meeting, and we stuck to the communique that has been the outcome of the Tonga meeting.

"So that is the communique that we based our decision on."

His comments follow an announcement by Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, revea...