The Press TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1974. Micronesia and The South Pacific

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33433, 15 January 1974, Page 12

The Press TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 1974. Micronesia and The South Pacific

Of all the areas that do not have political independence, Micronesia is likely to be among the last to achieve it. Representatives of its people and United States diplomats have been trying to contrive a “Compact of Free Association”; this would be similar in many ways to the relationship that the United States has with American Samoa and with Guam, but it would have to take account of the exceptional conditions of the multitude of very isolated communities. The islands of Micronesia resemble a handful of rice grains scattered over an area the size of a Rugby field. There are more than 2000 of them, of which 100 are permanently inhabited. The population of 100,000 is distributed over an area 2500 miles wide reaching from Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines in the north and west to the main islands of Polynesia in the south and east. Fishing, and tourist services for Japanese visitors are almost the only industries. Communications remain poor; even the radio broadcasts of the Micronesian Trusteeship Council s meetings create little sense of political unity; yet it would be impracticable for almost any single island to consider independence.

In the twentieth century this region has been administered successively, and with varying degrees of efficiency by Spain, Germany, Japan, and the United States. Thousands of Americans died here during the Second World War and resistance to the Japanese threat to Australia and New Zealand made some of the islands household words — Yap, Saipan, Tarawa. Many of the men injured in those sea-borne invasions by the United States Marine Corps came to New Zealand hospitals. It is small wonder that the United States continues to regard the area as being strategically important, and a little surprising that these islands have passed from New Zealand’s concern in the 20 or more years during which this country has shown a more profound and benevolent interest m Pacific islands. Although this lack of concern might be excusable since Micronesia has been a United States trust territory: nevertheless New Zealand, because of its experience in the South Pacific might be able to contribute something to the future of the islanders to the north.

A paper prepared recently* by the Charge d’Affaires at the American Embassy in Wellington (Mr C. B. Wood) attempted to define the problems of Micronesia, and to describe the American attempts to do justice to the Micronesians in accordance with the desires of its, generally, primitive peoples. “ Both “New Zealand and the United States seek to offer “ the Cook Islands and Micronesia a maximum of “ independence while retaining responsibility for “ their defence and foreign affairs ”, said Mr Wood. The parallel is most appropriate; it suggests a new area in the Pacific where New Zealand might provide assistance, perhaps through the South Pacific Conference to which all the parties are members. There is probably no State in the world, and certainly none with responsibilities in the Pacific, which has had more experience than has New Zealand in dealing with the political aspirations of small, economically fragile communities. The formula which has been worked out for the Cook Islands, or for the Tokelau Islands and Niue, has a special application in Micronesia. If New Zealand is determined to recognise its Pacific Ocean destiny, some gentle advice — and. perhaps, some firm guidance — would not go amiss in assisting a very large, and friendly, State how best to deal with the most curious of the responsibilities it acquired in the pursuit of great and urgent military objects — including the survival of New Zealand — 30 years ago.