Micronesians hopeful

From a Saipan corres P° n dent The next round of the US- Micronesian talks on the future political status of Micronesia will begin in Palau at the conclusion of the 50-day session of the Congress of Micronesia, which opens in Palau on j anuary 10 .

There are now brighter hopes on both sides for success. Since the Hana (Hawaii) meeting in October, which isolated the main differences in attitudes, there has been much serious activity by the US. Washington has indicated it will be flexible on the vexed termination issue, provided the Micronesians recognise the basic US interest in Micronesian defence and foreign affairs. The US will probably not insist that a Micronesian free association with the US can be terminated only by mutual consent—a stand which the Micronesians object to as giving the US final control.

By holding the talks after the Congress instead of before, as had been planned, both sides will have the advantage of seeing all the issues aired

by Congress, thus enabling solutions to be arrived at quickly. A three week visit to Micronesia, which ended on December 18, by Ambassador Arthur Hummel, Jr., director of the ° ff,ce of Micronesian Status Negoti atlons in Washington, has also helped smooth over the differences that emerged at Hana.

This °ff ice has been established to support Ambassador Franklin Haydn Williams, President Nixon’s personal representative in charge of negoti atl°ns, and Hummel is thus Williams’ chief assistant. The status negotiations are separated from ordinary TT administration, which incidentally underlines the importance President Nixon attaches to the negotiations, In v * ew °f tbe separation of the political talks from day-to-day ad ministration, High Commissioner ? dward Johnston no doubt wondered in December why he should have been singled out by arsonists, who set fire to his hom e. The fire in Government House, Saipan, was dis

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covered in the early hours of Novem ber 30 when the Johnstons were visiting Guam. Three or four rooms were damaged and all the HiCom s

personal belongings were destroyed.

Bedclothing had been piled in the centre of one room and apparently doused with a highly inflammable fluid. The Johnstons are living with friends.

This attack recalls the destruction by fire of the main Congress ol Micronesia building on Saipan las?

February, presumably by disgruntlec

Marianas people who want the Marianas district to be freed fron the Trust Territory and attach itsel to the US. But nothing has hnkec the Government House fire with thi element, and no theories have beei advanced officially.

But Majuro’s lively weekl; Micronitor , after commiserating witl the Johnstons, actually congratulate! the arsonists, seeing the fire as “symbolic act” by the breakawa faction to underscore their senou intentions, and added, you [th arsonists] have no future but th escalation of such acts into more an more alarming demonstrations c your intent for self-determination It wasn’t an editorial to win th paper any medals from supportei of the rule of law.