The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Bill Skate has adjourned parliament until the middle of next year in the face of a threatened no-confidence motion in his government.

Mr Skate denied that he was running away from his political problems.

He said a long adjournment was needed so that MPs could return to remote constituencies to consult about the proposed budget.

Correspondents say the adjournment until July 1999 could undermine a peace deal agreed for the northern island of Bougainville because legislation on the peace accord will now be delayed.