CHAPTER 4
COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHES
A NEW STATUS FOR PARTS OF MICRONESIA
Since 1947 the United States, under a U.N. agreement, has
administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands--an area
of over 3 million square miles commonly known as Micronesia.
Currently, there are four governments still under the trusteeship, NMI, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and
the Marshall Islands.
The NMI has chosen to become part of the
United States as a territory, and Palau is currently attempting
to resolve
people
of
internal constitutional problems
the
FSM
and
the
Marshall
new relationship with the United
Islands
States.
before
in
The
joining
entering
Compact
the
into
of
a
Free
Association, which defines this new relationship, may pose new
challenges for U.S. policymakers in defining and maintaining
federal-territorial relations.
Some issues, such as foreign
economic assistance, fishing rights, immigration, and economic
competition, have already been raised.
At
the
end
of
World
War
II
the
fate
of
the
islands
of
Micronesia was the subject of much debate in the federal govern-
ment.
The United States wanted to insure that the islands would
never again be used by unfriendly. powers to threaten U.S. security.
However, absorption into the United States was not an
acceptable
alternative because
it conflicted with
U.S.
and
allied policy, which opposed territorial expansion.
Instead,
the United States proposed to administer Micronesia under the
U.N.
international trusteeship system.
As administering author-_
ity, the the United States was charged with promoting the political, economic, social, and educational development of the Trust
Territory.
To
protect
its
security
interests,
the
United
States
proposed a special arrangement calling for a U.N. Strategic
Trusteeship, under which it was committed to the same general
development objectives as the flag territories but was given
additional authority to establish bases on the islands and to
foreclose Micronesia to third countries for military purposes...
U.S. POLICY IN
THE TRUST TERRITORY
Unlike the flag territories, the Trust Territory is not
under U.S. sovereignty, or subject to the U.S. Constitution.
Its residents are citizens of the Trust Territory,
not the
United States.
While U.S. policy for the flag territories does
not specifically outline ultimate status,
ment
is
not
5000223,
intended
to
be
a
the Trusteeship Agree-
permanent
16
statuS
arrangement.