[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[EX]
[Pages 18981-18982]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                VISIT OF PRESIDENT LEO FALCAM OF THE FSM

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DIANE E. WATSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 1, 2002

  Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the 
visit of The Honorable Leo Falcam, President of the Federated States of 
Micronesia.
  This year marks the 57th year of the United States presence in the 
territory of what are now called the Freely Associated States or FAS. 
The U.S. took possession of many of the islands comprising the modern 
FAS during WWII and has exercised various forms of political oversight 
since that time. On July 18, 1947, the U.S. Government began to 
administer to the FAS as a United Nations Mandated Strategic Trust 
known as the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. The 
charge to the United States from the United Nations went well beyond 
administering the Trust Territory Article Two. Article Six of the 
Trusteeship Agreement added four specific tasks to the U.S. mission: 
"The administering authority shall promote (1) . . . the development 
toward self-government or independence

[[Page 18982]]

. . . (2) the economic advancement and self sufficiency . . . (3) . . . 
the social advancement . . . and (4) . . . the educational advancement 
of the inhabitants."
  Mr. Speaker, as the former Ambassador to the Federated States of 
Micronesia, I was charged by President Clinton to uphold our Compact of 
Free Association and represent the United States. The FSM became freely 
associated with the U.S. in 1986. The Compact Agreement is currently 
being renegotiated, and a new Compact Agreement is imminent. The goal 
of the new Compact is to provide the FSM with the funding and tools to 
become an economically independent and viable democratic nation.
  Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap are the four states that comprise the 
FSM. They are located in an area called the Western Pacific, just north 
of the Equator. Spread across more than a million miles of ocean, the 
island states are made of 607 islands, but only 65 are inhabited. The 
total land area of the islands is 271 square miles, with Pohnpei having 
about half that land area and the rest equally divided among the three 
states. The FSM's estimated population is just over 100,000 people.
  The seat of the FSM government resides in Palikir on the island of 
Pohnpei. Mr. Speaker, today I have had the distinct honor, along with 
several of my distinguished colleagues, to meet with the President of 
the Federated States of Micronesia, the Honorable Leo Falcam.
  Mr. Speaker, President Falcam has served the FSM with distinction his 
whole life. President Falcam served at the highest levels during the 
Trusty Territory days up until now. He has played a key role in the 
island nation's struggle for self-determination. He was formerly the 
Governor of Pohnpei, Member of Congress, and now the President.
  Mr. Speaker, I especially want to note that the Federated States of 
Micronesia has always been a loyal friend and staunch supporter of the 
United States. This bond of friendship is demonstrated by the fact that 
the FSM has been one of the United States' most reliable friends in the 
United Nations as well as other international fora.
  I also want to note that a number of citizens of the FSM currently 
serve in the U.S. military and that President Falcam's son is a Marine 
Lt. Commander, currently stationed in Okinawa--a fact of which I know 
President Falcam is particularly proud.
  Mr. Speaker, a new compact is currently being negotiated by the 
United States and the FSM. It is my understanding that many of the 
issues have been resolved and that a new Compact is close to being 
approved by both sides. While a number of important issues remain to be 
resolved--such as the level of funding and decrements and future 
commitments of FEMA--I am confident that a new Compact will be approved 
by the Congress and signed by the President in the next year that 
allows the Federated States of Micronesia to realize their long-term 
goals of economic and political self-sufficiency.

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