Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Chuuk to Host High Level FSM-Micronesia Executive Meetings

Palikir, POHNPEI (Office of the President): August 31, 2007 - Two back-to-back high level FSM-Micronesia Executive Leaders conferences are scheduled to be held in Chuuk State, 2nd -5th September 2007.

The FSM Chief Executive Conference (CEC) starts Monday, 3rd September and ends Tuesday, 4th September 2007. The four Governors of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap State will join FSM President Mori in what is expected to be a strategic policy dialogue on key development priorities and resources. The Chuuk CEC will be a first meeting for President Mori and the Governors of Kosrae and Yap states.

The FSM Executives' Agenda consists of four major issues: communication, transportation, infrastructure, development financing and disaster relief and mitigation. Fuel supply and storage sits high on the Communication Agenda, while the fiber optic cable; airports improvement; tax reform; compact funding and review; and hazard mitigation and public assistance receive priority billing in the infrastructure, transportation, financial sustainability and disaster relief and mitigation agenda, respectively.

Technical experts and FSM management officials are expected to walk the FSM chief executives through key improvement proposals and situational updates on vital development efforts in these areas. A Communiqué is expected an outcome of the CEC.

The 2007 Micronesian Presidential Summit (MPS) convenes the next day, 5th September 2007, following the conclusion of the CEC. The MPS brings together the Presidents of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republics of the Marshall Islands and Palau, including technical experts and management officials from the three freely associated states, to deliberate on key priority development initiatives for the region and to reach consensus on implementation priorities and resourcing options. The MPS provisional agenda is centralized on updates on ongoing regional initiatives in the areas of communication; transportation; resource management and conservation; immigration and labor, development financing and partnerships; regional cooperation and integration; and global initiatives and regional compliance efforts. Specific topics include: bulk purchasing of fuel, quarantine standardization, Micronesia Challenge, extradition treaties and laws, maritime surveillance operation, airport improvement program, fiber optic cable, global environmental facility, immigration and labor, federal financial assistance, postal service, Okinawa partnership, prior service, Pacific Plan, trade related issues and maritime boundary treaty.

The PMS will also address four new agenda items which include (a) regional institutional framework, (b) Micronesia's joint representation in Europe, (c) FSM amendment to the Montreal Protocol and (d) Micronesia transnational crime center. A key strategic outcome of the MPS process will be a communiqué that summarizes the consensus presidential decisions emanating from the MPS agenda.

The 2007 Presidential Summit will be the first summit attended by FSM President Mori.