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National elections maintains incumbents and denies changes to Constitution

Palikir, POHNPEI(FSM Information Services): March 14, 2005 - Aside from Chuuk State, unofficial results of the 2005 National Elections shows most of the incumbents returning to the Fourteenth Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia.

Returning state representatives include:

Kosrae: 1. Claude H. Phillip (Vice Speaker of the 13^th CFSM)

Pohnpei: 1. Peter M. Christian (Speaker of the 13^th CFSM)
2. Dohsis Halbert
3. Dion G. Neth

Yap: 1. Isaac V. Figir

According to the Office of the National Elections Director, the results of Chuuk State elections are still being tabulated and expected to complete before the weeks end.

Unofficial results also show no changes to the FSM Constitution. Although the three proposed amendments to the FSM Constitution failed to garner the 75% or 3/4 of total votes required for passage, it did however indicate a strong inclination towards change.

The three amendments had proposed changes to Articles on: Dual Citizenship, Full Faith and Credit among the State, and Diversity Jurisdiction.

With the Dual Citizenship, it proposed the removal of the constitutional prohibition on dual citizenship and authorizes the FSM Congress to regulate the discretion of eligibility criteria.

Full Faith and Credit proposed a requirement of each FSM State to give fill faith and credit to public acts, records and judicial proceedings of the other three states.

The Diversity Jurisdiction proposed limiting the diversity jurisdiction of the national courts in cases involving ownership of land or waters.

The State of Kosrae was the strongest advocate for amendments to the constitution with votes on all three proposals registered at over 70% just short of the required 75%.

Certified official results the 2005 National Elections will be provided by the Office of the National Elections Director in due course.