The Secretary of the Interior said the future
proolems GAO mentioned are béing considered by
the Departments of Energy and the Interior and
The Departthe Micronesian Status Negotiators.
ment of State replied that the issue of post-
trusteesnip liability and claims resulte:ng
from the nuclear testing program has been
raised in the Micronesian Status Negotiations.
(See apo.
III.)
This report was discussed with representatives
ef the Office of Micronesian Status Negotiations, an interagency office tasked with tne
negctiation cf the future political status of
the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
They stated that the issues concerning liasilities and claims resulting from the U.S.
nuclear testing program have been raised in
the negotlations.
Tne Department of Energy statec it woul
welcome an independent radiological assessment of the Enewetak cleanup project.
However,
the Department of
2apos.
[
the
Interior and
the
Cerense Nuclear Agency feel that an incecenGent assessment 1S not necessary.
(See
“
T
and
II.)
Tne Departments of the Interior, State, Enerav,
snc Detense crovided other, more detailed:
comments that GAO included in the bedy of
tne report where atpropriate.
LIMITATIONS ON REPORT DISTRIAUTION
Tnis
1s @ restricted report with limited
Gistricution since negotiations setween tne
tnited States and tne Marshall Islands Polit-
ical Status Commission concerning the endinsa
of
tne
trusteeshio agreement are currently
in
crogress.
The issues cf costtrusteesiis
liaDllliv amc claims are scart ci tne Status Necc~
tiaticns.
It is celievec that reiease oF inis
reccert while necccliations ere in soreocresé
woold net cé in tne cest interest cf ine Gev-
ernment
_——59014s9