Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Second Japan-FSM Roundtable Talks Held

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): May 20, 1997 – The
second roundtable talks between the FSM and the Japanese Government were
held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in Tokyo, on May 15, 1997,
according to a release from the FSM Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.

The Japanese delegation was headed by Director of Oceania Division of
European and Oceania Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Heading
the FSM delegation was Secretary of External Affairs Asterio Takesy.

The agenda of the meeting included innovative approaches to economic
cooperation, FSM economic policy reform and structural adjustment, tourism,
fisheries and agriculture.

The meeting produced consensus on the new and innovative approaches
proposed by the FSM with respect to form and structure of Japanese grant.
On the subject of reform, the Japanese delegation expressed support and
commended the FSM for taking such bold measures. It was noted that Japanese
ODA policy supports self-help efforts by recipient countries especially
in areas of economic and private sectors development. This policy was aptly
expressed by the opening statement of Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda when
he stated, “I would like to reiterate here that it is a basic philosophy
of Japan’s official Development Assistance to attach great importance to
the ownership of development of the recipient countries and to assist in
their self-help efforts.”

On tourism, the Japanese delegation would welcome proposals by the FSM
to improve infrastructure, including consideration for expansion of one
of the airports and runways in the FSM to be able to receive wide-bodied
aircraft.

Both delegations acknowledged the importance of the fisheries sector
and the amicable fisheries relations between the two countries. As part
of their overall efforts to introduce innovative approaches, there was
consensus by both countries that efforts should be made to further strengthen
their bilateral fisheries relations, including encouraging the participation
of the private sectors to take advantage of the opportunities and potentials
of fisheries resources in the FSM. The same sentiments were also expressed
in the area of agriculture where there is already a modest undertaking
by a Japanese company to plant Pohnpei pepper and to export to Japanese
markets.

The next Roundtable Talks are tentatively scheduled for early December
to be held back-to-back with the Third Consultative Group meeting with
donors under the auspices of the Asian Development Bank, the release concluded.