The Small Island States is a grouping of several of the smallest Pacific Island States which meets before the Pacific Island Forum proper to discuss issues of specific interest, and to attempt to form a combined front once the Forum summit proper is convened.

They held their meeting yesterday morning, and concluded with a press conference attended by the Presidents of Kiribati, the Marshall Islands(this years Chair) and Nauru. This year for the first time the meeting was also attended by Oscar Temaru, newly elected President of Tahiti as an observer.

The meeting of the Small Island States is convened in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Chair of this years meeting, the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

The Small Island States decided at their meeting that they would be supporting the Pacific Plan.

During the Press Conference they discussed this, with particlar reference to the controversial PICTA and PACER trade agreements. They answered questions on how they might raise Government Revenue if they could no longer charge tarifs.

The President of Nauru talked about an imminent resolution the problem of back wages owed to migrant workers in Nauru from Tuvalu and Kiribati, and the Chair discussed progress in attempts to get the United States to cleanup environmental damage from its Nuclear Testing programme.

The three leaders were also asked on their views about the competing ambitions of Taiwan and China in the region.

The press conference was hosted by the representatives of Kiribati, The Marshall Islands (2005 Chair) and Nauru

Listen to the press conference (29 mins)
STREAM: http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/audio/0510/SmallIslandLeaders241005.m3u
DOWNLOAD: http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/audio/0510/SmallIslandLeaders241005.mp3

AROUND THE TABLE – SMALL ISLAND STATE LEADERS

Greg Urwin Pacific Island Forum Secretary General sits at the top table.

ENDS

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Alastair Thompson

Scoop Editor & General Manager

Alastair Thompson is the Editor and co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. A journalist with 24 years experience at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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