October 5, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. ---- FALEOMAVAEGA CALLS FOR EARLY COMPACT RENEGOTIATIONS WITH FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES

Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega announced that the House Committee on Resources and the House International Relations Subcommittee on Asia-Pacific Affairs held a joint oversight hearing last Thursday to examine the state of affairs of the Compacts of Free Association with the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and Palau.

Crucial Compact provisions providing financial assistance and federal programs eligibility to the Marshall Islands and FSM are to expire in 2001.

Testifying on behalf of the Adminstration were: Stanley Roth, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific; Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Defense; and Allen Stayman, Director of Insular Affairs for the Interior Department. A second panel consisting of senior officials from the governments of the Freely Associated States also testified.

Noting the initial Compact negotiations were complex and took over 15 years, Congressman Faleomavaega called for early renegotiation of the Compacts, rather than delaying it till late next year. "In particular, the Administration should immediately enter into Compact renegotiation discussions with the Marshall Islands," stated Faleomavaega. "This is warranted because of the unique nuclear legacy that exists between our nations, and the continuing security contributions to the United States that the Marshall Islands makes through Kwajalein Atoll."

"I further recommended that the Compact renegotiations take place at the East-West Center in Hawaii, and that the discussions be conducted in an atmosphere of good faith -- free of negativism and disrespect toward our Compact partners," concluded Faleomavaega.

Below is the Congressman's statement:

STATEMENT OF THE

HONORABLE ENI F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA

BEFORE

THE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES
AND THE
COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
OCTOBER 1, 1998

Mr. Chairman:

I commend you for calling this joint oversight hearing between the Resources Committee and the Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on Asia-Pacific Affairs. I am a member of both committees and it is indeed a pleasure to participate in today's hearing focusing on a very timely subject in the Pacific: the Compacts of Free Association with the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of Palau.

Mr. Chairman, I welcome the distinguished panel of Administration witnesses to testify before our committees today. In particular, I would thank Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Stanley Roth, for appearing before us. When Secretary Roth was with the House Foreign Affairs Committee, for years we worked closely on policy issues crucial to the Pacific region, resulting in the issuance of a Committee Report entitled, "Problems in Paradise". I know from personal experience that few individuals in Washington possess the knowledge, skill and depth of expertise that Secretary Roth has in the affairs of the Pacific.

I would also note and extend a very warm welcome to the second panel of distinguished diplomats who have appeared to testify on behalf of the Governments of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.

Mr. Chairman, as a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the islands in Micronesia were placed under the trusteeship of the United States after World War II. Under the U.N. Trust agreement, it was the obligation of the United States to "promote the development of the inhabitants of the Trust Territory toward self-government or independence, as may be appropriate to the particular circumstances of the Trust Territory and its peoples and the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned ..."

Accepting the trusteeship was not an altruistic gesture on the part of the United States. We were careful to use the region for military purposes, and continue to do so to this day. Nevertheless, substantial progress has been achieved in developing the island groups toward self- governance, and today there is no longer a Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

The early 1980's brought Compact agreements among the United States and the different island groups of the Trust Territory, and in 1994, with the approval of Palau's Compact of Free Association, the trusteeship came to an end.

Mr. Chairman, I want to especially note the tremendous contributions and keen foresight of the late Congressman Phillip Burton, who participated during the negotiations process which culminated in our government's approval of the Compacts of Free Association with the FSM, the Marshalls and Palau. In fact, to my personal knowledge, many of the social and educational programs that were provided for the three nations were due largely to Congressman Burton's strong belief that these programs were critical to the social and economic advancement of these countries.

As we near the end of the initial Compact term in 2001 with the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, it is an appropriate time to assess the state of affairs with these governments.

Mr. Chairman, before we begin with our witnesses, I have a few observations. I note, first, that the initial negotiations on the Compacts, such as with the Marshall Islands, took over a decade-and-a-half. Because of the complexity of the issues covered by these agreements and the time necessary for their negotiation, I strongly recommend that renegotiation of the Compacts begin as soon as possible rather than delaying matters till late next year.

In particular, the Administration should immediately enter into Compact renegotiation discussions with the Marshall Islands. This is warranted because of the unique nuclear legacy that exists between our nations, and the continuing security contributions to the United States that the Marshall Islands makes through Kwajalein Atoll.

One of the greatest challenges confronting the Marshall Islands Government is the need to address the lingering medical and environmental problems resulting from radiation exposure caused by the U.S. Nuclear Testing Program. The legacy of our 67 nuclear weapons detonations has resulted in a nightmare of health problems for the Marshallese people, including -- elevated rates of thyroid cancer; cervical cancer mortality rates 60 times the U.S. rate; breast cancer mortality rates 5 times greater than in the United States; and reproductive complications involving high rates of miscarriage and deformed babies that are stillborn.

The same is also true for environmental contamination problems in the Marshalls. "Temporary" storage facilities are leaching radionuclides into the marine ecosystem around Enewetak and Bikini, and portions of at least four atolls remain off-limits to human beings.

Addressing the nuclear legacy left by the U.S. has exhausted the limited resources allocated the Marshallese people, and profoundly affect the ability of the Marshall Islands to achieve the self-sufficiency envisioned in the Compact. Despite decades of U.S. Government involvement, the Marshall Islands are no closer to caring for its radiation problems today than it was when the U.S. Testing Program began. We must never forget that the sacrifices of the Marshallese people significantly contributed to America's nuclear deterrent, facilitating our victory in the Cold War.

Even in the post-Cold War era, however, the Marshall Islands continues to be of strategic value to the United States, and will be for the next several decades, because of the U.S. Army's ballistic missile and anti-ballistic missile testing facilities at Kwajalein Atoll.

Given the increasing danger posed by international terrorism and rogue nations such as North Korea, Libya, Iran and Iraq, it is good that both the Administration and Congress have committed to accelerate national missile defense research and development programs. Kwajalein is one of only two U.S. strategic missile defense test sites authorized under the Anti- Ballistic Missile Treaty. Moreover, as a buffer between Hawaii and Asia, Kwajalein acts as a U.S. intermediary to potential political, economic and military adversaries, such as China, in the Pacific region. Kwajalein also serves U.S. interests by providing a NASA tracking center and satellite launching site.

Second, Mr. Chairman, in calling for early Compact renegotiations, I would further recommend that the discussions take place in the Pacific at the East-West Center in Hawaii. Since its formation in 1960 by act of Congress, the East-West Center has distinguished itself as the region's most respected institution for furthering U.S. relations with the nations of the Asia-Pacific region. It is my understanding that the Center would welcome the opportunity to host these important Compact discussions and it provides an ideal forum conveniently located for all parties.

In concluding, Mr. Chairman, it is important that the Compact renegotiations occur in an atmosphere of good faith -- free of negativism and disrespect. I find it very disturbing that some representatives of the United States Government may not share this point of view -- and have gone out of their way to show lack of respect for our Compact partners, even to the point of interfering with domestic political affairs, such as in the Marshall Islands. Such behavior, if true, is highly unprofessional and beneath the dignity of our relations with these nations and must stop.

Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing to provide the members of both committees the opportunity to determine the status of the Governments of the Freely Associated States. America has never walked away from her allies in their time of need, and as we enter this important period for Compact renegotiations I am confident that our nation will do what is right and fair for our friends throughout the island nations of Micronesia.