Page 14 - IB OCT 2017

Coffee cashes in Tanna farmers go Agriculture Farmers boost Vanuatu’s
Forum organic P20 coffers P21

From Page 13

He said one time ‘Vanuatu will never
be free unless all Melanesian countries
are free.’ The Forum too is a political
organisation which is why all the lead-
ers are attending, instead of ministers.”
In their communique, leaders recog-
nised “the constructive engagement by
the Forum countries with Indonesia with
respect to elections and human rights in
West Papua and Papua and to continue Samoan solidarity with West Papua. Right: Police guard of honour at the forum. Photos: Nic Maclellan
a dialogue in an open and constructive The US Senate has not yet confirmed
than previous communiqués, Prime ‘ respond to the member an ambassador to South Korea or Aus-
For the Secretariat, we
manner.”
tralia, even though these countries are
Asked if this wording was weaker
Minister Tuilaepa told Islands Business: states and six of our key partners in US attempts to isolate
the North Korean regime. The head of
“It’s the most powerful wording we members recognise Taiwan the US delegation in Apia, Acting Assis-
could find. You know these issues are - Meg Taylor ‘ tant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific
very sensitive.” support of the Marshall Islands, this affairs Susan Thornton, is still acting in
Despite this outcome, the Secretary year’s communiqué required that “the this crucial State Department position.
General of the United Liberation Move- Forum Secretariat coordinate assistance In Apia, American Samoan officials
ment of West Papua (ULMWP) Octo by CROP agencies to the Republic of the were sounding out full membership of
Mote was encouraged by the support Marshall Islands in addressing ongoing the Forum, but US Deputy Assistant
given by “the group of seven.” Last impacts of nuclear testing including hu- Secretary for Australia, New Zealand
year, through the Pacific Coalition on man rights, environmental contamina- and the Pacific Matt Matthews told
West Papua, seven individual member tion and health impacts”, with a report journalists: “The general legal opinion
countries spoke out in support of West on actions taken to the 49th Forum next of the Treaties and Law Department of
Papua at the annual opening of the UN year in Nauru the Department of State for territories
General Assembly. PIFS is now consid- With three pages of the official Forum of the United States for which the US
ering whether to monitor the elections handbook printed in Chinese, it wasn’t provides security and foreign policies
for the governor of Papua Province in hard to notice the significant influence is that they cannot be full members of
2018. of the People’s Republic of China in international organisations.”
regional affairs. China provided 20 US military installations in Guam
International insecurity vehicles to transport the Forum leaders are playing a central role in the current
The meeting in Apia came at a time around Apia, and there was a major north-east Asian security crisis. For this
of global uncertainty. Every day, ugly seminar on Chinese trade and invest- reason, it’s unlikely that the US Micro-
headlines highlighted the damage ment, featuring business and govern- nesian territory will be allowed to join
as Hurricane Irma smashed its way ment representatives. the Forum, as the French collectivities
through the Caribbean, Kim Jong-un With support from just six Forum of New Caledonia and French Polynesia
boasted of missile launches towards members, Taiwan hosted a dinner for have done.
Guam and Donald Trump threatened its team away from the Forum venue. Beyond these international policies
to rain “fire and fury” on the Korean For Secretary General Taylor, it’s get- however, island nations re-focused at-
people! ting harder to avoid the growing influ- tention on climate change and natural
Forum leaders condemned repeated ence of China around the region: “We’ve disasters as a threat to their own se-
efforts by the Democratic People’s Re- noticed a real heightened intensity over curity. The Forum Secretariat has been
public of Korea (DPRK) to test nuclear the last couple of months particularly, tasked with developing a new “Biketa-
weapons and ballistic missiles and said wanting our countries to be clear about wa-Plus” declaration to present to next
the threat posed to Guam is “a threat to the One China policy, insisting that mis- year’s summit in Nauru, on the 50th
the wider Pacific islands region.” sions that are promoting trade in Taiwan anniversary of Nauru’s independence.
In a practical step, they committed to be closed. This expansion of the Biketawa decla-
deregistering any DPRK vessels cur- “For the Secretariat, we respond to the ration of 2000 would extend existing re-
rently flagged on Pacific shipping regis- member states and six of our members gional security policies to “an expanded
ters, with Australian and New Zealand recognise Taiwan, so we have to accom- concept of security inclusive of human
intelligence agencies identifying illegally modate that.” security, humanitarian assistance, pri-
flagged North Korean vessels on Nauru’s With a high-profile Chinese presence oritising environmental security and
register. in Apia, the United States also sent a regional cooperation in building resil-
At the same time, smaller island large delegation to the Forum. However ience to disasters and climate change.”
states highlighted their own concerns its message of concern about Korean As the region prepares for COP23,
about the legacies of nuclear testing in security was undercut by the Trump ad- climate action is at the heart of the blue
the Pacific. ministration’s ongoing failure to appoint Pacific.
After years of Forum statements in key diplomats in the Asia-Pacific region. r nicmac3056@gmail.com

14 Islands Business, October 2017