Related: Chinese Embassy in PNG aids Chinese in Solomon Islands

    CANBERRA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The situation in the riot-torn South Pacific state of the Solomon Islands is better due to "sobering effect" brought by the presence of additional Australian troops there, according to Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Thursday.

An aerial view shows the damage caused by riots in Honiara's Chinatown in this Australian Federal Police handout April 19. (Photo: Xinhua/Reuters)

    Howard made the remarks on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio that he received a detailed report on the situation Thursday morning from the Australian High Commissioner in the Solomon Islands on Thursday morning.

    Australia sent 110 troops to Honiara on Wednesday to join the 282 Australian Federal Police officers already there following an urgent plea from the Solomon's government. New Zealand also announced to send additional security forces there.

    "It does indicate already that the presence of additional police and soldiers is having a sobering effect on those who caused the trouble," Howard said.

    "But we are not out of the woods and it doesn't mean the situation won't get bad again," he added.

    The prime minister said it was Australia's role to help keep order in any "potentially failing states" in the Pacific. "Australia is far and away the biggest and wealthiest and strongest country in the region and we have to be prepared to shoulder the major part of the burden," he said.

    At least 24 Australian police and three New Zealand police have been injured since riots broke out in Honiara last Tuesday in protest against newly elected Prime Minister Snyder Rini.

    The main commercial area of Chinatown was looted and largely burned out and tourist hotels were also under attack, according to reports reaching here.

    This is the worst violence in the Solomon Islands since an Australian-led regional security force was deployed there in July 2003 in response to the local authorities' request to restore order. Enditem