U.S. is taking a wider interest

wider interest

By William Bodde Jr

America’s destiny became entwined with the South Pa cific in the dark days of World War 11. It was from bases in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands that the US, together with its allies, waged war across the Pacific ending with the defeat of the Japanese in 1945. Out of the close friend ship forged in battle, the United States, Australia and New Zealand came to recog nise their common interest in the Pacific.

This perception led to the creation of a multi-lateral se curity arrangement, ANZUS, which entered into force in 1952. The Treaty provides that Australia, New Zealand and the United States take necess ary measures consistent with their own constitutional processes should the peace and security of any of the three

nations be endangered by

attack on their territory or forces in the Pacific. Such measures shall be terminated when the UN Security Council has taken the measures necess ary to restore and maintain in ternational peace and

security.

The ANZUS council consist ing of foreign ministers (or their deputies) has evolved over the years into a forum for discussing common concerns, assessing international and re gional development and as a

means for co-ordinating policy,

especially towards the region.

Beginning in the 1960 s Oceania was the scene of rapid

political change. Since 1962,

Western Samoa, Nauru,

Tonga, Fiji, Papua New

Guinea, the Solomons, Kiribati and Tuvalu have be come independent nations.

The New Hebrides are

expected to become indepen

dent in 1980.

In the American Pacific ter ritories the movement towards direct control over their internal affairs has progressed to a point where Guam and American Samoa elect their own legislatures and gover nors.

The same political process proceeded apace in Micro nesia. A directly elected legis lative body for the Trust Territories, the Congress of Micronesia, was formed in 1962 and in 1968 discussions to determine the future political status of Micronesia began be tween the Micronesians and the United States. In 1979, the northern Marianas voted over whelmingly to join the United States family and will become a US Commonwealth after the United Nations Trusteeship is terminated.

A 1978 constitutional refer endum in the rest of the Trust Territory resulted in four dis tricts banding together to form the Federated States of Micronesia (Truk, Yap, Ponape and Kosrae) while the other two the Marshalls and Palau decided to go their own separate ways. All three have their own constitutions.

The United States and the Micronesians are negotiating a free association agreement which would provide the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands with control over foreign and domestic affairs while the United States would retain responsibility for defence matters. The United States goal is to sign the free as sociation agreement in the near future, leading to eventual ter mination of the United Nations Trusteeship in 1981.

The United States welcomed the emergence of the new independent states of Oceania.

It supports their efforts in re gional co-operation, as well as their activities on the inter national scene (Fiji for

example, is contributing troops

to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon). These changes have required the United States to adjust its policies towards the region. It now gives greater attention to the area and is taking develop ments in Oceania into account in foreign policy decisions. For example, the US has sought a mutually satisfactory solution

to the question of American claims to certain islands in the Pacific. It wants to resolve this issue without casting a shadow on the territorial integrity of

the newly independent states.

The establishment of 200-mile (320-km) national fisheries zones has altered the map of the Pacific. The US looks forward to co-operating with nations of Oceania in in ternational efforts to conserve, manage and exploit the marine resources of the region.

Traditionally, United States financial assistance to the re gion has been concentrated on the American territories and the Trust Territory of the Pa cific Islands projected expen diture for the 1980 fiscal year being $250 million.

Although the United States will continue to focus the bulk of its assistance on the American territories and Micronesia it has begun a very modest aid programme to sup plement Australia’s and New Zealand’s efforts. This program is channelled through

private voluntary organisations

or regional organisations.

The US Government also has made changes both in Washington and in the field to reflect the political dynamics in Oceania. A resident Ambassa dor with an enlarged staff has

been assigned to Fiji, a Deputy

Assistant Secretary of State has

been given direct responsibility

for Oceania and a separate office for the Island Nations has been set up in the State Department. In addition the US has become more active in the SPC. and American

officials spend considerably

more time visiting the region to consult with ANZUS allies and the Island leaders.

The United States will con tinue the process of consul tation and co-operation with its ANZUS allies and the Island states in the future and will support the principle of re

gional co-operation.

• What is the weight of US in fluence in the various South Pacific nations and territories, and how is the US perceived by their citi zens? PIM correspon dents throughout the region come up with some answers.