Foreign Affairs Weekly, November 11-15, 1996

The second consultative group meeting between
donors and the FSM Government was held at the Asian
Development Bank in Manila with the Honorable Asterio R.
Takesy, Secretary of External Affairs, heading the FSM
delegation to the meeting chaired by the ADB Vice
President, Mr. Peter Sullivan. The donors reviewed the
policy reform programs initiated by the FSM
Government and congratulated the Government for its
impressive progress in implementing courageous
reforms to reduce the size and cost of the public sector
and to encourage the growth of the private sector. At the
same time, donors raised concern on the need for the
Government to implement the reforms according to the
planned timetable, to further analyze end prioritize the
public rector investment program and to promote
productive activities in the private sector. The donors
also pointed out the social cost of the reform programs
and the need to carefully monitor these social costs
through the maintenance of adequate statistics.
Coordination of donor programs was also stressed with
assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The next
Consultative Group Meeting is slated for mid-1997.

The Department has informed all diplomatic missions
accredited to the FSM and relevant international
organizations that, as of November 8, 1996, Vice
President Jacob Nena has become Acting President of the
Federated States of Micronesia as the President, H.E.
Bailey Olter, continues to be out of his office for medical
treatment. Until the President resumes his post, the
acting capacity of Vice President Nena continues for a
maximum of 180 days, which was made possible by
Congressional declaration on November 8, 1996, as
provided under FSM law. Such declaration provides for
the President to resume his duties within the 180 day
period, otherwise, the Acting President takes over the
balance of the current President’s term which is about
two and half years.

Acting President Jacob Nena is heading the FSM’s
delegation to the World Food Summit in Rome,
November 12-22, 1996, with the rest of the delegation
members consisting of Mrs. Lerina Nena, Secretary
Eliuel Pretrick and Mrs. Kesia Pretrick, Ambassador
Resio S. Moses and two support staff.

The FSM Government is hosting an Inter-Country
workshop on Review of the Preliminary Draft Training
Manual on Communication and Counseling Skills,
suggested to begin on November 27-30, 1996. Similar
workshops have been held in the Republic of Palau and
the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The Department forwarded a congratulatory message
from Acting President Jacob Nena to Prime Minister
Ryutaro Hashimoto on the occasion of the latter’s re –
election as Prime Minister of the Government of Japan,
while External Affairs Secretary Takesy sent a similar
message to reappointed Foreign Minister Ikeda.

The Department reported to the Acting President on
the results of the US/FSM Joint Committee Meeting
(JCM) on Security and Defense held at the US CINPAC
Headquarters at Camp H.M. Smith in Honolulu on
October 10, 1996. Discussion topics included Coast
Guard activities in the FSM; training opportunities in
pharmacy, dental and hemodialysis; Tripler Army
Medical Center support to the FSM; Civic Action Team;
recruitment of FSM citizens in the US Armed Forces;
planned humanitarian assistance for excess property, and
disaster response. The meeting went very well with the
FSM taking turn to host the next JCM meeting sometime
between October and December 1997.

The Department of External Affairs Secretary Takesy
headed the FSM delegation to the annual South Pacific
Commission’s Conference in Saipan which was held from
October 30th to November 1st. The highlight of the
meeting was the streamlining of staffing and
reorganization of the Commission.

The Department has submitted two nominees to a
training workshop on “Participatory Needs Assessment”
scheduled to be held in Suva, November 18-December 4, 1996.

The Department has, received from the Government of
the People’s Republic of China two possible set-ups of
the COM-FSM Multipurpose Facility, which will be
financed through an interest-free loan from the
Government of PRC. A Feasibility Study Team will be
dispatched to the FSM as soon as a selection is made by
the FSM Government.

The Department transmitted a proposal to the
Embassy of Japan in Kolonia from the Ponape
Agriculture and Trade School to be considered under the
Japan Supply of Technological Literature Scheme.

The Government of the Republic of Korea is donating
various athletic materials worth a total of USD 20,000, in
response to a request from the FSM Government. The
Department has communicated FSM’s appreciation for
the donation to the Korean Embassy in Suva.

The FSM has submitted the nomination of Mr.
Sintaro Ezra from the Philatelic Bureau of the FSM Postal
Service to attend training on operation of a philatelic
agency to be held in Suva under the sponsorship of the
Forum Secretariat.

Ambassador Resio S. Moses is to head the FSM
delegation to a meeting of States Signatories to the
Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, scheduled for
November 19, 1996, at the UN Headquarters in New
York.

Funding is being sought from the Australian Embassy
in Kolonia for an FSM citizen who has been accepted to
take up studies in Women’s Health at the University of
Melbourne.

Consultations between the FSM Government and
Chinese Embassy has led to agreement on use of the
grant from the PRC Government for one pilot project in
agriculture in the State of Pohnpei. If successful, similar
projects can be extended to the other states in the
Federation. A Feasibility Study Team has, therefore, been
requested to visit Pohnpei. The FSM Department of
R&D is coordinating the project with Pohnpei State.

The Eighth Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal
Protocol and the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of
the Parties to the Vienna Convention are scheduled to be
held in San Jose, Costa Rica, from November 19-27, 1996.
The FSM Government will be represented by the FSM
Alternative Energy and Sustainable Development
Planner, Mr. John Mooteb.