The government in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville is to press the global mining giant, Rio Tinto, on several fronts after it…divested itself of its majority shareholding in Bougainville Copper Ltd.

The company split its shares between the autonomous provincial government and the national government in Port Moresby…

"My government, and all Bougainvilleans, oppose the shares in BCL being transferred to the PNG government. The justification for the transfer advanced by Rio has no basis," John Momis, Bougainville's president, told parliament.

"Equal PNG shareholding with the ABG raises the same grave dangers for the future of peace in Bougainville," he said.

"Moreover, its decision on allocating shares was clearly made in close consultation with PNG, and without consulting the ABG. Perhaps they both forgot that the mineral resources BCL was established to mine are located in Bougainville. Perhaps they forgot that Bougainville is autonomous, and has full power over mining."…