The South Pacific: New Problems for the United States
(Redacted) (1983-04-28). The South Pacific: New Problems for the United States (Report). Langley, VA: Central Intelligence Agency.CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
- Has attachment: File:HK8WP3DG.pdf
Abstract: Intelligence Estimate issued by the Director of the CIA, in concurrence with the National Foreign Intelligence Board. From numbered page seven: "The South Pacific nations have also shown skepticism over whether the new relationship the United States has negotiated with its UN trusteeship, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Micronesia), actually confers full independence. Under the first agreement concluded in 1975 after six years of negotiations, the Mariana Islands accepted a commonwealth status akin to that of Puerto Rico. Under recently concluded talks with the other three components of Micronesia—Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia plebiscites are being held for popular approval of "free association" with the United States that gives the islands control over their domestic affairs and foreign relations, except where the latter impinge on US defense and security interests and responsibilities. Reservations among the South Pacific island states over the free association arrangement were shown recently by Papua New Guinea. It made its willingness to be an observer of the plebiscites conditional on being assured that the Micronesians would be offered independence as a voting option. 39. The Micronesian groupings' anticipated greater involvement in regional affairs could accentuate any differences they might have with the United States. For example, they share the independent South Pacific nations' objections to US policies on tuna and on law of the sea and may now be encouraged to be more outspoken. Moreover, with their new status, the Unit- ed States will be encouraging the Micronesian entities toward participation in Pacific island affairs. Until now they have had little opportunity to forge links with the island nations to their south, except for the Federated States of Micronesia's attendance as an observer at the past two South Pacific Forum meetings. The independent island nations do not appear to question American Samoa's ties to the United States, it being apparent that the relationship reflects the Samoans' preference."
