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SYDNEY, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Troops and police from Australia and New Zealand are leaving for Tonga Saturday to restore peace on the riot-torn island.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard and his New Zealand counterpart, Helen Clark, announced the deployment of the peace-keeping force at a news conference held in Vietnam ahead of the APEC summit in Hanoi.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports Howard said that 50 troops from the Royal Australian Regiment based in Townsville and 35 police officers would fly to the Tongan capital, Nuku'alofa.
Clark revealed New Zealand was sending 60 soldiers to help provide security at Nuku'alofa airport while eight to 10 police officers would guard the New Zealand High Commission in Tonga.
A Tongan government spokesman said Tonga acknowledged "our security apparatus is short of manpower" and approved the Australian and New Zealand force to "ensure peace and security" after riots Thursday left six people dead.
The Tongan unrest follows similar disturbances in Solomon Islands and the threat of a coup in Fiji.
"Everyone is aware of what fragile and failed states mean in today's world. It can mean penetration of financial systems, lax borders, drug trade and financing terrorism ... no one wants that in the Pacific," said Clark.
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