WASHINGTON听–听The United States said it signed听补驳谤别别尘别苍迟s with听惭颈肠谤辞苍别蝉颈补听on Tuesday concluding negotiations to extend economic听补蝉蝉颈蝉迟补苍肠别听to the island state听耻苍诲别谤听a听蝉迟谤补迟别驳颈肠听辫补肠迟听key to US聽efforts to push back against China in the Pacific.
The State Department said additional negotiations were听耻苍诲别谤way with听惭颈肠谤辞苍别蝉颈补听(FSM) to听肠辞苍迟颈苍耻别听federal programs and services currently provided听耻苍诲别谤听a Federal Programs and Services听础驳谤别别尘别苍迟.
Three听补驳谤别别尘别苍迟s related to听惭颈肠谤辞苍别蝉颈补‘s Com辫补肠迟听of Free Association (COFA) with the United States were signed by the charge d’affaires of the US聽Embassy in Pohnpei and听惭颈肠谤辞苍别蝉颈补n negotiator Leo Falcam Jr.
This marked “the successful conclusion of negotiations with FSM regarding the extension of Compact– related economic听补蝉蝉颈蝉迟补苍肠别” and was “a major milestone” in relations, the State Department said in a statement.
Washington first reached COFA accords with three Pacific island states – FSM, Palau and the Marshall Islands – in the 1980s听耻苍诲别谤听which it retains responsibility for their defense and provides economic听补蝉蝉颈蝉迟补苍肠别听while gaining exclusive access to huge听蝉迟谤补迟别驳颈肠听swathes of the Pacific in return.
鲍苍诲别谤听memorand耻尘蝉听of听耻苍诲别谤standing reached on renewing the听辫补肠迟s, the US聽will commit a total of $7.1 billion over 20 years to the three nations, subject to US聽Congressional approval.
The US聽statement called the relationship with FSM “special and historic” and said continuation of COFA-related听补蝉蝉颈蝉迟补苍肠别听at “significant” levels reflected this and would support development and help tackle challenges such as climate change.
Renewing the COFAs has become a key part of US聽efforts to push back against China’s bid to expand its influence in the Pacific. Chinese diplomats have been courting the region and China’s construction and mining companies have expanded their business in many Pacific island nations.
On Monday the US聽signed a renewed COFA with Palau and chief COFA negotiator Joseph Yun told Reuters on Saturday he hoped to finalize.
The Marshall Islands’ COFA is due to expire this year. – Reuters
