Papua New Guinea's foreign minister says he expects the issue of West Papua will be discussed at the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in Palau.

This comes as the issue of human rights abuses and conflict in Indonesian-ruled Papua region, often known internationally as West Papua, appeared to have slipped off the regional agenda.

After the PIF foreign ministers met in Suva earlier this month, there was no mention of West Papua in the meeting's outcome statement.

Most of the talk was about regional security arrangements and the region's response, or lack thereof, to a recent Chinese nuclear-capable interballistic missile test into Pacific waters.

But PNG's Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko has indicated to RNZ Pacific that the West Papua issue will be discussed by Pacific leaders in Koror next month.

This is despite little to no apparent progress after Forum leaders last year tasked the Forum Secretariat to work constructively with Indonesia on a proposed visit to West Papua by PIF leaders envoys in 2026, in consultation with the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Secretariat

Tkatchenko denied that Indonesia had stalled progress on a proposed visit by Forum leaders envoys to West Papua.

"No, I don't think [Indonesia had stalled progress] at all," he said.

"Indonesia is very open to the situation now. I think it's just making a time and date and making it happen. I'm sure it can be brought up in the next meeting in Palau by the leaders, and if they need to work on that, so be it."

However, there has been a clear lack of action on a PIF resolution in 2019 to request Indonesia grant access to West Papua for the UN Human Rights Commissioner to come and look into alleged abuses.

Tkatchenko said Indonesia's government under new President Prabowo Subianto has been open about Papua issues.

However, he said the escalating violent conflict between Indonesian military and West Papuan independence fighters in recent months had not came up for discussion in Suva.

"Well nothing was mentioned at the Pacific Island Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting in that regard, but I did make it clear that we respect the sovereignty of Indonesia, and we did elevate them for the leaders to ensure that Indonesia was in a strategic relationship with all Pacific Island Forum's members."

The foreign minister suggested Indonesia's role at the Forum could be a growing one, "as they hold 20 million Melanesians in Indonesia, which is bigger than all of the Pacific Islands and us put together".

"So, they hold a very important place when it comes to the representation of Melanesians in the whole of the Pacific, and especially in the Pacific Island Forum. So, that was put forward and mentioned, and the leaders will discuss that in Palau in the next coming weeks."

PNG relationship with Indonesia

Tkatchenko said from a PNG perspective, they have made it clear to their neighbour that they are willing to help Indonesia address its problems in Papua, if they'd like help.

"And we have the indications through the new president of Indonesia and the Foreign Minister's discussions with myself that things are moving forward for the betterment of West Papuans now and into the future.

The PNG minister was reluctant to point fingers at Indonesia over the unrest in its Papuan provinces, particularly Highland Papua.

"We have our own issues, too. I mean, we've had massacres and very unfortunate tribal wars and conflicts between our own people in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea that would equal or outdo what is happening in Indonesia.

"So we have our own law and order problems that we are also trying to address in that regard.

"But any human rights violation, of course, is always a worry, depending on what the circumstance is. And you know, they are our brothers and sisters, and we are concerned. And if the Indonesians need our assistance, so be it."

Pacific Islands Forum leaders are due to meet in Palau at the start of September.

Cross border help

Meanwhile, Tkatchenko said PNG Foreign Affairs officials had been in Jakarta finalising a cross-border treaty, which allows for help to PNG's Ok Tedi mine in Western Province near the international border.

"The Ok Tedi mine at the moment's in a bit of strife where the river has now basically dried up and has now gone from a river to a creek. So, the freight, bringing all the freight and goods and fuel to Ok Tedi has now ceased because of the river not being able to access proper water depths to flow the boats and barges up to the appropriate points.

"We have now got a road going through and bridges going through Indonesia for them to access fuel and goods and everything in from Indonesia.

"We have all agreed, and and this is also working with all the West Papuan landowners and the Indonesians, and of course our agreement that we have signed just recently."