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German Ambassador Jess presents credentials

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): June 21, 2001 - On June 14, Ambassador Herbert D. Jess of the Federal Republic of Germany presented to President Leo A. Falcam his credentials as Germany's Ambassador to the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Federal Republic of Germany established diplomatic ties with the FSM on April 21 1992. Ambassador Jess succeeds former Ambassador Dr. Wolfgang Göttlemann to become Germany's third Ambassador to the FSM.

President Falcam, during the brief ceremony in the Cabinet Meeting Room, accepted Ambassador Jess's Letter of Credence and welcomed him and wife Micheline to the FSM. The President assured the Ambassador of FSM's strong desire and commitment to working closely with him and his Government in the advancement of "our mutual interest [...] we value and take pride in our historical relationship with Germany."

Historical ties between Germany and FSM date back to the late 1800s when Germany acquired the Micronesian region from Spain and even earlier, when trading interests brought German traders through the Micronesian waters.

Germany's colonial occupation of Micronesia had inevitably fostered new ways of living and thinking on the islands. They introduced among other ideas, the modern land tenure system, commercial agriculture development and new lineages.

A testament of time that President Falcam said remains evident today, "tangible imprints of German legacy can still be found in our people and our landscape."

Ambassador Jess described the legacy of Germany's occupation of the islands then and the establishment of diplomatic ties now, as clear marks of their long and friendly relationship.

Germany had provided technical assistance to the FSM in the media technology field in the form of production studios to the states as part of a Technical Assistance Cooperation Agreement.

The Ambassador commended FSM on its recent membership in the African, Caribbean and Pacific grouping with European Union, a membership according to him is valued in the "deepening relationship between your country and Europe." He said FSM's membership entitles the country for "aid and trade concessions from the European Community member States under the European Development Fund."

"In an interdependent world, countries are increasingly facing challenges of global character more specifically climate change."

The Ambassador said Germany is interested in intensifying the dialogue about how developed and developing countries can improve their cooperation to tackle climate change while at the same time promoting sustainable development.

He also shared Germany's commitment to continuing its support of developing countries through "capacity building and technology transfer, and to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to the effects of climate change."

Germany will host the Sixth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change next month. The common aim of the EU and other States is to "see the Kyoto Protocol enter into force by 2002, ten years after the Rio Earth Summit."

The ceremony was attended by the President; Speaker of FSM Congress, Jack Fritz; Lieutenant Governor of Pohnpei State, Jack Yakana; members of the Diplomatic Corps and Cabinet members.