Political Reviews Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 john r haglelgam, david w kupferman, kelly g marsh, samuel f mcphetres, donald r shuster, tyrone j taitano Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 lorenz gonschor, hapakuke pierre leleivai, margaret mutu, forrest wade young © 2012 by University of Hawai‘i Press 135 Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 Reviews of Kiribati and Nauru are not the office of the FSM president, this included in this issue. liaison office “is the first one ever established by the organization to Federated States of cover the North Pacific region” and Micronesia “the first new clo created by the In August 2010, Federated States of WHO in 30 years.” Serving the Feder- Micronesia (FSM) President Emanuel ated States, the Marshall Islands, and “Manny” Mori traveled to Vanuatu to Palau, the office will assist health offi- attend the 41st meeting of the Pacific cials in such areas as diabetes, heart Islands Forum. While in Vanuatu, on disease, infectious diseases, injury 4 August, Mori signed a Partnership prevention, health system strengthen- for Development Agreement with ing, and tobacco control. It will help the Australian government. Through in detecting and responding to out- jointly determined technical and breaks of such infectious diseases as financial assistance, the agreement multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis and will support FSM efforts to imple- dengue. In addition, it will coordi- ment development strategies geared nate and provide training for health toward sustainable economic growth. professionals in the countries within In exchange for Australian assistance, its regional jurisdiction (fsmis Press “the FSM Government will pursue Release, 16 Aug 2010). its development through appropriate Also in August, FSM Vice Presi- budgets, laws, policies, strategies and dent Alik L Alik received Ambassador programs; will optimize the use of aid Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch of to achieve this development; and will the Federal Republic of Germany. continue to work towards its Millen- Weber-Lortsch has been the German nium Development Goals” (fsmis resident ambassador in the Philippines Press Release, 13 Aug 2010). since 2008 and is also diplomatically The World Health Organization accredited to the Federated States. The (WHO) became the most recent inter- ambassador returned to the Feder- national organization to establish a ated States to seek support for his presence in the Federated States when country’s ultimately successful can- it opened a new Country Liaison didacy for a non-permanent seat on Office (clo) on 16 August 2010. The the United Nations Security Council. opening ceremony commenced with Weber-Lortsch took the opportunity the unveiling of a who plaque at the to inform the vice president that entrance of the Department of Health his government is providing a grant and Social Affairs office building, of $7,000 to Micronesian Seminar where the liaison office is located. (MicSem) to defray travel expenses for According to the press release from MicSem representatives who wish to 136 political reviews • micronesia 137 visit selected archives and institutions bly and other venues, as well as the in Germany in order to make copies actions taken through the “Green of rare Micronesian historical photo- Micronesia Initiative” to ameliorate graphs from the German period. The climate-change impacts. President ambassador also expressed his govern- Mori informed Ambassador Lillie ment’s desire to establish an Honorary that during the upcoming UN Climate Consul for Germany in the Federated Change Conference in Mexico the States and also raised the possibility of FSM Government would “continue locating a European Union Regional to seek the support of the UK Gov- Office in the country (fsmis Press ernment and the European Union . Release, 16 Aug 2010). to combat climate change.” The A month after the German ambas- president further informed the ambas- sador’s visit, a group of French law- sador that during that conference the makers, accompanied by the French Federated States intended to introduce ambassador to the Philippines, arrived proposals to phase out hydrofluoro- “to observe, listen and learn from their carbons (hfcs) and to “eliminate one encounters with people of the region.” of the six gases listed in the Kyoto The group represented a French Senate Protocol” (fsmis Press Release, 12 organization called Groupe D’Amitié Oct 2010). et D’Études des Pays du Pacifique The country has made significant (Group of Friendship and Study of political overtures to the Muslim the Countries of the Pacific), which world. On 13 October 2010, the sends annual goodwill and fact-finding Federated States of Micronesia and missions to Pacific Island countries. the Kingdom of Morocco established According to the FSM Information formal diplomatic relations when Service, the team reports back to the Ambassador Masao Nakayama, the French Senate “to discuss the needs head of the FSM Permanent Mission and aspirations voiced by the different to the United Nations, and his spokespeople they meet on such trips” Moroccan counterpart, Ambassador (fsmis Press Release, 22 Sept 2010). Mohammed Loulichki, signed a joint In October 2010, British Ambas- communiqué in New York express- sador Stephen Lillie arrived to present ing the desires of the two countries his official credentials to President to “promote friendly relations and Mori. Lillie is the new UK resident cooperation . in political, economic, ambassador in the Philippines and cultural and other fields” (fsmis Press is diplomatically accredited to the Release, 13 Oct 2010). The two coun- Federated States of Micronesia. The tries agreed that the principles and United Kingdom is a Pacific Islands objectives of the United Nations Char- Forum Dialogue Partner and has sent ter and the 1961 Vienna Conventions high-level government officials to on Diplomatic and Consular Relations attend Forum meetings. The ambas- would guide their new relationship. sador welcomed the Federated States’ About three weeks earlier, the Fed- role in raising international awareness erated States wrote what was referred of climate change through powerful to as a “significant page in the diplo- speeches at the UN General Assem- matic history” of the country. While in 138 the contemporary pacific • 24:1 (2012) New York to participate in the meet- with the Federated States started ing of the 65th UN General Assembly, when he was the chief US negotiator FSM Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the first Compact of Free Associa- Lorin S Robert and his Egyptian tion, during President Jimmy Carter’s counterpart, Foreign Minister Ahmed administration. The American Jewish Aboul Gheit, signed a formal agree- Committee is a worldwide organiza- ment establishing non-resident ambas- tion headquartered in New York City, sadorial–level diplomatic relations with a key office in Washington DC between the Federated States and the to liaise with federal agencies and Arab Republic of Egypt. In the joint monitor international activities. The communiqué announcing the formal- committee started in the early 1900s ization of their diplomatic relations, as “a response to bigotry aimed at the two countries stated that they “are Russian Jews.” Now it has morphed fully convinced that the establishment into “an advocacy organization and of diplomatic relations corresponds a think-tank committed to support- to the interests of both States and ing the State of Israel and combating will strengthen international peace anti-Semitism by promoting pluralism and stability” (fsmis Press Release, and democratic values, among others” 25 Sept 2010). The establishment of (fsmis Press Release, 19 Oct 2010). diplomatic relations with Egypt is With its headquarters located in the historic because Egypt was the first same city as the United Nations, the Arab country to formally recognize American Jewish Committee has been the sovereignty of the Federated States able to establish and maintain contact of Micronesia, but the FSM press with high FSM government officials release indicated other considerations who arrive to address the world body. for establishing formal ties with Egypt. As pointed out in a press release, the For instance, it pointed to Egypt’s meeting between FSM officials and place in history, its role as a key player ajc members is now a “tradition.” In in the Middle East, and its status as what has been dubbed “a triangular the most populated Arab country. It relationship,” the American Jewish further mentioned the fact that Egypt Committee has played a major role is “considered comparatively more “in promoting relations between the moderate than its neighboring Arab FSM and the State of Israel with the countries” and that, in November US as the base of operation.” This 1977, it “broke ranks with the other relationship has led to unequivo- Arab states and established friendly cal FSM support for Israel “in the relations with the State of Israel” context of the UN System and other (fsmis Press Release, 25 Sept 2010). multilateral forums” and, in response, Vice President Alik, who was also to what Rosenblatt described as “a in New York to address the 65th UN groundswell of gratitude of the people General Assembly, took the opportu- and leaders of Israel.” The Federated nity to meet with Peter Rosenblatt and States has benefited from direct ajc other members of the American Jewish humanitarian assistance as well as Committee (ajc) on 24 September from the committee’s help in secur- 2010. Mr Rosenblatt’s acquaintance ing the donation of medicines by an political reviews • micronesia 139 Israeli pharmaceutical company and in States, the People’s Republic of China arranging for the Israeli government to (PRC) was the first permanent mem- provide two dialysis machines (fsmis ber of the UN Security Council to Press Release, 19 Oct 2010). recognize the Federated States’ sover- The preceding paragraphs reveal eign independence and to establish an the depth of the official FSM relation- embassy there.