Dear Editor,

I think, the motive behind the recent trip of SI's Foreign Minister, Hon. Haomae, to Iran is not to do with establsihment of diplomatic relations. Rather it is related to the financial assistance which Iran, under a multilateral agreement signed recently in New York in September 2008, offered to assist LLDCs. SI is a party to that Instrument and seek financial assistance to cater for the travelling expenses of 25 SI medical students scheduled to travel to Havana, Cuba later on this year.

If the issue of diplomatic ties comes in, I see no wrong in that and other countries has no right as far as International Law is concern to criticise or stop us from doing so. It is a bilateral arrangement between the two countries and as long as they both agree and consented to it, nothing is wrong with that.

Australia and NZ joined the US and other countries around the globe in criticising Iran and labelling it as "Axis of Evil" yet you find the Embassies of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Canberra and Wellington. Why is that? You think about and answer it yourself. See if Solomon Islands has done anything wrong.