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NORMA is Congratulated on Approved Proposal

Palikir, POHNPEI (FSM Information Service): June 26, 2008 - On June 11, 2008 the FSM Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Masao Nakayama, sent his congratulations to the Executive Director of National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA), Mr. Bernard Thoulag, for the successful approval of the FSM extended Continental Shelf project proposal by the United Nations.

The project proposal was submitted on June 18, 2007 for consideration under the United Nations Trust Fund for the purpose of facilitating the preparation of submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for developing States, in particular the least developed countries and small island developing States, and in compliance with article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

According to the Permanent Representative the proposal was re-submitted to the Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) in May for consideration by the Independent Panel of Experts established under paragraph 20 of the Terms of Reference, guidelines and rules of the Trust fund.

Consequently, the Panel has recommended that financial assistance be accorded to the FSM proposal in the form of grant. Now a grant agreement is being prepared by the appropriate UN office.