Fourth round in Micronesia
p. 31 · Read in the full issue
The US entered top-level talks vith members of the Micronesian Congress Joint Committee on Future Status in April with no great hope hat the problems would be finalised wen in this, the fourth round of dis mssions in two or three years. But t did believe that agreement in prin iple to the vital remaining problems ould be reached.
The talks, in camera, began in ’alau in early April and were ex pected to continue for about two yeeks. The last round of talks had •een in Hawaii in October last year, dajor questions left to be resolved fter the Hawaii talks were the con r°l of Micronesian foreign affairs nd defence; future financial arrange icnt between a self-governing Micro esia and the US; and the formula nder which Micronesia can be freed rom all US controls if and when it 'ants to do so.
Hie US wants an interest in foreign tfairs and defence in any future poli cal arrangement with a self-determin ig Micronesia. It also has asked that ay compact between the US and licronesia be terminated only with ie consent of both sides. The Micro ssians have asked that this be ter
nnable unilaterally.
Senator Lazarus Salii, chairman t the Micronesian committee, said
at the Palau conference table that in reviewing the Hawaii conference it was clear that agreement was close on many crucial issues, and the Micronesians were optimistic that the major problems would be resolved at Palau.
Urging a direct attack on “the most important issue still dividing us—the termination of any future compact”— Senator Salii said the Micronesians believed that a solution could be found which will “assure a stable US presence in Micronesia while pro viding Micronesians with the in dispensable ultimate control over their political destiny.”
Ambassador Franklin Haydn Williams, leading the US delegation, said the US didn’t think any kind of draft compact of association between the US and Micronesia could be drawn up at Palau, but it did hope that before the talks concluded the meeting could “move from the con ceptual to the practical, from under standings in principle to agreed minutes.” But he believed a further exchange of views would be needed on some questions, particularly on finance.
Later news was that there were hopes of an agreement for a self governing Micronesia in free associa tion with the United States.