Prime Minister Allan Kemakeza issued an unusual signed statement last week rebutting White House claims that the Solomons was on the list of 49 nations that have agreed to be named as backing the campaign.

"The government is completely unaware of such statements being made, therefore wishes to disassociate itself from the report," his statement said.

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation revealed over the weekend, however, that a week before his statement Kemakeza had written to US President George W. Bush offering support.

Kemakeza has since modified his public position to say: "The stance by the United States of America and its allies to disarm Saddam Hussein of all weapons of mass destruction is totally supported by the Solomon Islands government."

The declaration has little practical value: the Solomons has been economically bankrupted by civil war and the remnants of its paramilitary force now face off against each other.

Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia are other tiny island states in the Pacific among the nations signed on to the "coalition of the willing."

WAR.WIRE