 President thanks New Zealand PM for assistance to Chata'anPALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): August 26, 2003 - President Joseph J. Urusemal paid a courtesy call on New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark, during which he personally thanked her for the financial contribution to Chuuk. The Government of New Zealand had contributed NZ $150,000 - about US $75,000 to help recovery efforts in Chuuk State which was devastated by Tropical Storm Chata'an in the summer of 2002. In addition, the two leaders discussed various regional issues of common interest that included: fisheries, tourism, climate change. On environmental issues, Prime Minister Clark expressed the need for a whale sanctuary and requested FSM's support for initiatives to protect this species. President Urusemal expressed his gratitude for New Zealand's continuous assistance to the Federated States of Micronesia in the areas of human resources development and national development. Diplomatic relations between the two Pacific nations were established in 1988, with a non-resident Ambassador accredited to the FSM. Ambassador John Goodman, on July 16 2003, became the sixth Ambassador accredited to the FSM. |