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FSM and US hold 2010 Joint Committee Meeting in Hawaii

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): September 9, 2010 - From August 30, to September 3, 2010 senior officials from the Federated States of Micronesia and the United States of America held their 2010 Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Joint Committee Meeting is a committee established under Title III of the Amended Compact of Free-Association with the primary aim of addressing defense and security issues and its related agreements between the two countries.

Topics of discussions covered updates on engagements of the United States Coast Guard in the FSM, including the recent Joint Maritime Surveillance activities; updates on the recent engagements of the U.S. Joint Task Force Homeland Defense (J3), including the ongoing joint consultations on the FEMA/USAID Strategy for Disaster Mitigation, Relief, and Reconstruction for the FSM for 2008-2023; updates on the enlistment of FSM citizens into U.S. Armed Forces as well as FSM citizens in U.S. Service Academies; and updates on the Guam Military Build-Up.

For the first time in the JCM process, the FSM presented its ongoing work within its Transnational Crime Unit (TCU); as well as its ongoing engagement with the Sasagawa Peace Foundation, through an initiative aiming to provide supplementary assistance to the FSM for maritime surveillance activities.

Boating Safety issues was also discussed whereby JCM recognized the need for more consultative work for the FSM and agreed for updates to be tabled in the 2011 JCM for further discussions.

The Committee discussed a proposal from the United States regarding a project to send military engineering teams, known as ENCAP, to the FSM to undertake renovations and/or constructions of community infrastructure, primarily in the sectors of health and education. The Committee agreed to move forward on this initiative.

The FSM was represented by Secretary Robert of Foreign Affairs, Head of Delegation; Senator Sitan; Ambassador George; Lieutenant Governor Tareg of Yap State; Assistant Secretary Cantero of Foreign Affairs; Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. Naich; Consul General, Mr. Jackson; Assistant Director Stephen of SBOC; Acting Consul General, Mr. Shrew; Chief of National Police, Mr. Chotailug; Director Ikosia of Yap State; and Mr. Santos of the FSM Transnational Crime Unit.

The US was represented by Ambassador Prahar of the US Embassy to the FSM; Major General Alles, Director of the USPACOM Strategic Planning & Policy (J5) Office; Rear Admiral Bushong, US Navy Commander of the Joint Region Marianas; Major General Chaves, Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force-Homeland Defense; Colonel Sevier, US Air Force USPACOM South Asia / Oceania Policy Division Chief; and Colonel Norton, Director for Operations (J3) of the Joint Task Force-Homeland Defense. Various military personnel were also in attendance.

The 2011 Joint Committee Meeting will be hosted by the Federated States of Micronesia.