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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.