Micronesian Talks Held Up

fith several stiff hurdles to clear ire both sides can agree on an ida, the opening date and the ic for the seventh round of talks yeen the United States and the gress of Micronesia’s Joint Com ee on Future Status are still un ded. But, after talks early in ;ember in Guam between Ambas >r Franklyn H. Williams, Presi t Nixon’s personal representative Jing the United States team, and ator Lazarus Salii, chairman of status committee, it looked as if talks might get under way late in aber or early November, he biggest hurdles are the land stion —who owns what and where, what control the United States tary should be allowed to exer over the bases it occupies—and subject of the separate talks be ;n the US and the Marianas to ch the Micronesian Congress has jcted. Tinian in the Marianas will i figure largely because the United es, which has announced that it its a large chunk of the island for ase, has declared a moratorium on economic development there. An it row to be cleared up is that sed by Washington’s refusal to re e certain land records which the :ronesians say they must see be

fore they can discuss the land ques tion.

The separate talks between the US and the Marianas are expected to open in mid-November, but whatever agreement over future status is made, it will be subject to a plebiscite among the Marianas people. The rest of Micronesia may also want a say in that decision.