He felt, therefore, that in order to ensure that the study remained. objective, the rapporteur should conduct an evaluation of any situation in which the right to self-determination had been exercised freely or, conversely, where it had been subjected to restrictions in an attempt to suppress it.

*

U.N. Doc. E/CN.4/SR.1264, June 13, 1974, pp. 209-210.

86

Trust Territories

The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

General Policy

Secretary of the Interior, Rogers C. B. Morton, made a policy statement with respect to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands on January 23, 1974, in which he outlined actions being taken in four important areas. Noting that "the next three years will be a decisive turning point" in the history of Micronesia, and that action was needed "to accelerate the turnover of responsibilities," Secretary Morton outlined the following steps: First, the United States approval of funds for a Micronesian Constitutional Convention; second, United States authorization of the transfer of Trust Territory public lands to the individual districts; third, issuance of instructions for new arrangements to improve economic conditions; fourth, the start by the Trust Territory Administration of a greatly expanded program of education for self-government. Mr. Morton said, in pertinent part:

The United States Government is giving wholehearted support to the organization of a Constitutional Convention. I believe the development of this fundamental instrument is an essential part of the efforts toward self-government.

I am confident that the Congress of Micronesia will act rapidly to make the Constitutional Convention a reality. Your new Constitution will be the blueprint for your future. It will be the cornerstone for important programs during the period of your transition from trusteeship to self-government. I have asked the High Commissioner to make available any and all technical and staff support as requested by the Congress to assist in this historic step.

With regard to the disposition of public lands, let me say that the United States policy represents the fulfillment of a promise made years ago by the United States to hold these lands in trust for the people. The decision to return control over public land to those districts requesting it is full of meaning for the people of Micronesia. Acting through your elected and territorial government and traditional leadership you are now to assume responsibility for matters pertaining to land, culturally the most prized, and socially and economically the most significant commodity in Micronesia. This constitutes an enormous step in transition toward self-government. I

am hopeful that the Congress of Micronesia will act quickly to pass the necessary legislation to put the new policy on the return of public lands into effect.

Looking forward to future progress toward economic self-sufficiency for Micronesia, we are striving to complete the basic facilities needed by the Territory. Hopefully within a few years you will have more adequate airports, more power, water, sewage systems, better hospitals, more classrooms and better roads. I have asked the High Commissioner to prepare a revised five-year plan for this construction with emphasis on the initial three-year period. He is to work with both the Congress of Micronesia and the leadership of the districts to develop the necessary set of priorities. I have instructed my Director of Territorial Affairs, Mr. Stanley Carpenter, to make available the full resources of his staff to work with you to meet this objective. Only with a sound physical plant can we begin to produce a strong economy.

To promote further control by Micronesians over their own economic affiairs, I have ordered the lifting of restrictions on foreign investment in the Trust Territory effective April 1, 1974. From that date, individuals and commercial investors from any of the world's community of nations will be permitted to apply for business permits in Micronesia. More specifically, each district economic development board will be able to consider business applications from any nation within the guidelines of your own foreign investors Business Permit Act. Under the terms of that Act the High Commissioner will have final authority to review each recommendation of the district economic development boards. I have instructed the High Commissioner to base his review on the security of the area and the general welfare and development of the Micronesian people.

I would ask the Congress of Micronesia to review carefully the ramifications of this new policy on foreign investment. As the keepers of the trust of the Micronesian people, the Congress may decide that additional controls or safeguards are necessary to protect Micronesian private enterprise.

I have instructed the High Commissioner to proceed rapidly in fully implementing his new comprehensive, objective program of education for self-government, so that it will reach all areas and all levels of society. I hold high expectations for this program. A good understanding of government and its functions is a necessary step to increased self-government at all levels.

We shall also continue to review our other programs aimed toward a greater measure of self-government and general political development. We will continue the policy of elevating qualified Micronesians into more responsible positions in the Administration. I have asked the High Commissioner to submit to me his best forecast of manpower needs over the next three years, so we might determine how more Micronesians can be placed in key positions.

Secretary Morton noted that final agreement on the future political status of Micronesia had not yet been reached, but he added that the people of the Trust Territory could "be sure that in future negotia

tions the United States will be guided by its commitment to the principle of self-determination and by the obligations it assumed under the United Nations Trusteeship Agreement." He said that "the final decision on your future will be yours to make."

For the full text of Secretary Morton's statement, see U.N. Doc. T/1749, Feb. 1, 1974.

Self-Determination

On June 4 and 10, 1974, Ambassador Barbara White, United States Representative to the United Nations Trusteeship Council, made statements to the Council with respect to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. In the June 4 presentation, Ambassador White reviewed, inter alia, the progress of the negotiations with the Joint Committee on Future Status of the Congress of Micronesia, and with the Marianas Political Status Commission. Concerning the Marianas, Ambassador White said:

Turning to our negotiations with the Marianas Political Status Commission, I am pleased to announce that at the fourth round of talks, which concluded May 31 on Saipan, the two delegations affirmed basic decisions with respect to the establishment of a commonwealth of the Northern Marianas under U.S. sovereignty with maximum internal self-government, including the right of the people to draft and adopt their own constitution and to establish local courts to administer local laws. In light of the progress achieved in these talks, the United States and Northern Marianas delegations have now agreed to establish a joint drafting committee to prepare a status agreement. This draft will be presented to the Marianas Political Status Commission and the United States at the next negotiating session. Both sides reaffirmed that any final agreement will have to be approved by the Marianas District Legislature, the people of the Mariana Islands District in a plebiscite, and the United States Congress.

The successful conclusion of this latest round of talks with the Marianas encourages us to believe that negotiations to establish a commonwealth of the Marianas in permanent association with the United States will also be completed rapidly and we believe that the Marianas Political Status Commission shares our optimism. I understand that representatives from the Marianas will again be appearing before the Council as petitioners and they, I am sure, will further enlighten the Council on this matter.

As in the case of the rest of Micronesia, the agreement on the political future of the Marianas will be put to the people of the Marianas by means of a plebiscite, which will be agreed upon in the course of the negotiations.

I am fully aware of the Trusteeship Council's concern over the years with the maintenance of the integrity of trust territories. I believe, however, that the Council is well aware of the special situa

tion of the Marianas, the great majority of whose inhabitants, as last year's U.N. Visiting Mission report noted, favor separation from the rest of the Trust Territory. For over twenty years, the Council has received petitions from the Marianas to this effect. Until 1972, however, the United States, hoping that it would be possible to maintain the principle of unity, declined to enter into separate negotiations. It is worth repeating here that the United States agreed to separate negotiations only after elected representatives of the Marianas made it clear that the future political status being sought by the Congress of Micronesia-free association with provision for unilateral termination-was unacceptable to their people, who wished a closer relationship with the United States, and a permanent one.

Ambassador White also noted, in her June 4 statement, that the United States had agreed to Micronesian participation on the U.S. Delegation to the Law of the Sea Conference at Caracas; that the U.S. Government, on behalf of the Trust Territory, expected to sign shortly an agreement with the United Nations Development Program which would enable the Trust Territory to participate in various programs of economic assistance and once again to obtain U.N. training fellowships for Micronesians; and that the United States supported Micronesian membership in the Asian Development Bank and would sponsor such membership following enactment of the necessary legislation by the U.S. Congress. In addition, on August 9, 1973, the U.N. Economic and Social Council approved a resolution admitting the Trust Territory to ECAFE as an associate member, and in March 1974, a Micronesian delegation attended the 30th plenary session of ECAFE in Colombo, thus participating in a United Nations conference for the first time.

In the June 10 statement, Ambassador White said, in part:

My Delegation very much appreciates the careful consideration which this Forty-first Session of the Trusteeship Council has given to developments in the Trust Territory. We fully recognize the significant role which the Council should and does play in encouraging the steady movement of the territory towards self-determination in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. There is little doubt that over the years debate in the Council has served to focus the attention of representatives of both the administering authority and the territory itself on certain key issues. Recommendations of the Council have influenced our actions in particular areas-for example, the Council's strong support for liberalization of foreign investment in the territory played a role in the decision made by the Secretary of the Interior earlier this year. While we may not agree with all of the suggestions offered by members of the Council in the course of the questions and general statements this year, we appreciate the attention devoted to their

preparation, recognize the constructive spirit in which they have been offered, and commit ourselves to study them closely.

Members of the Council have noted that the Special Adviser, Senator Kendall, and I both expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the negotiations with the Joint Committee on Future Status of the Congress of Micronesia during the past year. While agreements reached to date are, of course, only tentative, we are hopeful that the momentum will be maintained. My Delegation believes that a principal factor in propelling the negotiations forward has been the private talks between heads of delegations. These informal talks have enabled both sides to clarify areas of agreement as well as disagreement, and should enable the next formal public round to proceed more smoothly. The results of the formal negotiations-which both sides hope will be a compact establishing a relationship of free association between the United States and Micronesia-will, of course, be made public, as have the results of all previous talks, and must be approved not only by the two delegations but also by the United States Congress and the Congress of Micronesia, and most importantly, by the Micronesian people in a free plebiscite.

As we have stated on several previous occasions, we expect and will welcome a United Nations presence during the act of selfdetermination, as we are sure, will the people of Micronesia.

We are confident that the two sets of negotiations-with the Congress of Micronesia's Joint Committee on Future Status, and with the Marianas Political Status Commission-are proceeding in accordance with the wishes of the peoples concerned, through their elected representatives. In the case of the former, I would note particularly that the negotiations embody principles established by the Micronesians themselves and explicitly affirmed by them at the conclusion of the Fourth Round of talks in Koror in March 1972.

To ensure that the peoples of Micronesia fully understand the issues that they face at the time of a plebiscite, we are committed to a vigorous Program of Education for Self-Government. We welcome the comment of the Special Adviser that, in spite of some earlier misunderstandings, the Congress of Micronesia recognizes the value of the present program and is paying close attention to it. Members of the Council have asked several questions about greater self-government prior to the termination of the Trusteeship. The United States is now examining closely what further interim steps can be taken in the immediate future. Transitional arrangements for transfer of responsibilities are among the important points to be decided in the status negotiations. And the forthcoming Constitutional Convention will make fundamenta! decisions on the type of internal government that Micronesians choose for themselves.

I want to reiterate that as soon as there is agreement on future status, my government is prepared to move toward implementing that status just as fast as the Micronesians desire.

*

Press Release USUN-62 (74), June 4, 1974, pp. 4-6; Id., USUN-66(74), June 10, 1974, pp. 1–2.