Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

FSM Delegation to Kyoto Climate Change Conference

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): November 20,
1997 – President Jacob Nena, on November 6, 1997, informed
Congress Speaker Jack Fritz that the Third Session of the Conference
of the Parties (COP3), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is
scheduled to be held in Kyoto, Japan, from December 1 to 10, 1997.

The FSM Delegation will be composed of Vice President Leo A.
Falcam, Head of delegation and other members of delegation will
include Mrs. Iris Falcam, Spouse of the Vice President and delegate;
Ambassador to FSM Mission to the United Nations Masao Nakayama, First
alternate head of delegation; Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department
of External Affairs Jeem Lippwe, Second alternate head of delegation;
Delegate James Naich, Deputy Chief of Mission Embassy of the FSM to
Japan; Delegate John Fritz, First Secretary FSM Mission to Japan; The
Honorable Yosiwo P. George, Senator, FSM Congress, Delegate; Senator
Isaac Figir, FSM Congress, Delegate; Senator John Petewon, FSM
Congress, Delegate; Mr. James T. Stovall III, Minister, FSM Permanent
Mission to UN, Delegate and Delegate Robert Hadley, Sustainable
Development Council, FSM Office of Planning and Statistics, according
to communication from the Department of External Affairs.

The conference is at the ministerial level, however, there is hope
that the conference will be upgraded to a meeting of heads of
government to highlight this important issue which are important to
the FSM and politically sensitive, Nena said.

The Kyoto agreement will contain legally binding commitments by
developed countries to reduce their emissions by around the year 2010
and members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) threatened
by sea-level-rise, want to see a 20 percent reduction by the year
2005. The baseline for all these reductions would be the year 1990
emission level.

Other members may support a divergent target. While others who are
willing to do their share feel that the targets should be equitable
rather than fixed across the board, Nena explained.

Nena stated that the FSM should be steadfast in its position to
attain a target for the year 2010. Because of the important role to
be played by the Legislative Branch or Congress, Nena is inviting
Congress to be represented on the FSM Delegation to the conference.