Rival ethnic militias fighting over land and jobs in the Solomon Islands signed a ceasefire agreement last night meant to end 19 months of violence.
The agreement was signed in a lengthy ceremony aboard the Australian naval supply ship HMAS Tobruk moored off the Solomons' capital, Honiara.
Both sides are to lay
down their arms in two days and begin formal peace talks in a week.
More Solomons crisis coverage
Main players in the Solomons crisis
Map of Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands facts and figures