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President Mori Creates FSM Compact Review Committee

Palikir, Pohnpei (Office of the President): September 18, 2007 - President Mori has, on Monday, September 17^th, submitted a presidential communication to the Congress, formally informing the Congress of an Executive Order that creates the FSM Compact Review Committee. The Committee is created as part of the FSM's effort to be part of the Compact Five Year Review Process provided in the Amended Compact which requires the US President to report to the US Congress every five years on the progress of the Compact of Free Association. Among the objectives of the FSM Compact Review Committee stated in the Executive Order were: (a) to assess the FSM's progress in meeting its development objectives under the Amended Compact; and (b) to compile a list of comments and recommendations to be made by the FSM to the US President.

Among the factors listed in the Executive Order for consideration by the Committee in formulating the FSM's recommendations to the US President were: (a) the socio-economic conditions and estimates of economic growth in the FSM; (b) the effectiveness of financial assistance under the Compact; (c) assessment on possible political and economic alternative arrangement for the FSM after expiration of the Compact of Free Association with the US.

By the terms of the Amended Compact itself, the Review is slated to begin in 2008, and President Mori is urging the FSM Congress' action on his request for a $100,000 funding to enable the Committee begins its work immediately. The Executive Order also provides for the states' representatives on the Review Committee who shall be selected by their respective governors and their names transmitted to the President's Office before October 31, 2007. The Director of the new FSM Office of Statistics, Budget, Overseas Development and Compact Management is designated in the Executive Order to be the Chairman of the Review Committee.