More members?

WILL more Pacific states join the UN? Both Niue and Nauru are actively considering membership.

Nauru president Bernard Dowiyogo told PIM that one problem in the past was that when they had attended the Trusteeship Council before indepen dence, they had seen political points being made by Cold War opponents “and they had nothing to do with us, even though it was our case being discussed”, he complained. To some extent, their decision would depend on the outcome of the conference. But, he pointed out on behalf of the Forum at a press conference on the launch of the AOSIS communique, “AOSIS is a wonderful opportunity for non members of the UN to participate and to work together with members”.

Indeed, non-UN members attend ing the conference included almost all the Pacific states. Apart from Niue and Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Tonga and the Cook Island had delegations. □