VZCZCXRO1456
PP RUEHKN
DE RUEHKN #0062/01 1210259
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 300259Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KOLONIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2010
INFO RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/COMNAVMARIANAS GU
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0058
RUEHKN/AMEMBASSY KOLONIA 2355

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLONIA 000062 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/ANP AND EAP/PD; INTERIOR FOR OIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID FM CH
SUBJECT: FSM OFFICIALS APOLOGIZE FOR MORI MAGAZINE INTERVIEW 
 
¶1.  SBU - Entire Text 
 
¶2.  Summary.  With chagrin, two close aides of Federated States 
of Micronesia (FSM) President Mori invited Ambassador to lunch 
on April 29 to apologize for the tenor of an interview with Mori 
published in this month's Pacific Magazine.  The interview 
characterizes Mori as complaining about a lack of American 
attention to the FSM for more than a decade.  He implies that 
China is more visible and active.  Ambassador Hughes expressed 
disappointment that President Mori would draw such an inaccurate 
dichotomy between U.S. and Chinese bilateral assistance programs 
or suggest the United States has been neglectful when our 
assistance, which exceeds $130 million annually, dwarfs that 
provided by all other donors combined.  The President's aides 
claimed Mori was quoted out of context.  They agreed that both 
the FSM and United States needed to release letters to the 
editor promptly to rectify inaccuracies.  Embassy will work with 
the Department and FSM Foreign Secretary to coordinate the 
letters and minimize public controversy.  Aides acknowledged 
Mori's limited experience with the press and foreign affairs, 
while emphasizing his strong commitment to the United States. 
End Summary. 
 
¶3.  President Mori's Chief of Staff Ambassador Kasio Mida, along 
with Foreign Affairs Secretary Lorin Robert, invited Ambassador 
Hughes to lunch on April 29 to express regret for remarks 
attributed to President Mori in an interview in this month's 
Pacific Magazine.  They claimed publisher-journalist Floyd 
Takeuchi had assembled comments and quotations out of context. 
In the interview, Mori admonishes the United States to pay 
closer attention to the FSM.  Building on Mori's remarks, the 
article states that "~ the depth of U.S. interest in Micronesia 
is uncertain."  The FSM will send a letter to the magazine to 
protest what it claims is journalistic misrepresentation. 
However, this respected magazine receives broad circulation 
throughout the region and among Pacific policymakers, and Mori's 
message in the interview is unfortunately clear. 
 
¶4.  Ambassador Hughes registered disappointment about inaccurate 
information that Mori apparently conveyed, as well as the 
unhelpful thrust of Mori's allegations that China is more 
active, swift and visible in the FSM than is the U.S.  She 
emphasized that these two powerful nations are not in 
competition in the FSM.  Rather, both are committed to fostering 
development, although in different ways.  Ambassadors Hughes and 
Liu in fact share information and have sought to encourage aid 
coordination, including with Japan and Australia, among others 
in the small pool of locally based donors.  The principal U.S. 
aid mechanism, which is the Compact of Free Association, 
requires the Micronesians to play a proactive role in 
accountability at both the state and national levels. 
Ambassador acknowledged that President Mori is frustrated with 
Compact implementation, particularly obstacles to the startup of 
infrastructure projects for which previous FSM administrations 
bear substantial responsibility.  However, she reminded that the 
Department of the Interior had come to the FSM regularly to meet 
with Mori, the four state governors and many other Micronesians 
to build local capacity and to explore new ways to overcome 
logjams. 
 
¶5.  Mida and Robert agreed wholeheartedly that the depth and 
largesse of America's commitment to Micronesia, which began with 
the sacrifice of American lives to bring peace to the region in 
1945, has remained unique, steadfast and unquestionable.  The 
U.S. Government's recent `Year of the Pacific' initiative had 
further reinvigorated U.S. engagement, the Ambassador said.  She 
reviewed some $130 million of annual grant assistance, which the 
United States provides for education, disease prevention, 
airport improvements, postal service, conservation, weather 
forecasting and rural development, among many other programs. 
 
¶6.  The two close aides to Mori claimed the FSM President was 
intensely grateful for American assistance and partnership. 
They cited his February visit to Washington, the recent, 
historic visit of Pacific Commander Admiral Keating to the FSM 
and Mori's "once in a lifetime experience" just two weeks ago on 
board the aircraft carrier Nimitz in Guam as the guest Admiral 
French, the U.S. Commander of Naval Forces in the Marianas. 
These were among the most significant highlights of his 
nine-month administration, Mida and Robert said.  They also 
hinted that Mori was still learning his job and that he lacked 
foreign affairs and press experience. 
 
¶7.  The interview with Pacific Magazine was Mori's first 
in-depth press encounter.  Ambassador Mida, who said he was 
present during the long interview, complained that publisher 
Takeuchi had edited out core material about the strength of the 
vital FSM-U.S. bilateral relationship and had also reneged on an 
 
KOLONIA 00000062  002 OF 002 
 
 
agreement to share the text before publication.  Secretary 
Robert said he regretted he had not been consulted.  Ambassador 
Hughes indicated the United States would need to publicly defend 
our strong record of engagement.  The President's aides agreed 
to help coordinate release of letters on both sides, with the 
aim of acting promptly to stem anticipated public fallout. 
 
¶8.  Comment.  Both seasoned FSM diplomats, Chief of Staff Mida 
and Secretary Robert were unusually contrite and candid in 
admitting that President Mori had misspoken and indeed, may have 
displaced some frustration during a time of tension in the FSM, 
including Mori's strife with the Congress, concern about soaring 
fuel prices, and his frustration with fiscal reform in Chuuk and 
Compact implementation.  They indicated that they had work to do 
to better prepare the President to communicate with the press 
and to manage international relations.  Ambassador advocated for 
better staffing of the Department of Foreign Affairs, where the 
key position of Deputy Secretary, which formerly handled U.S. 
relations, has remained vacant since the start of the Mori 
administration.  Mida and Robert agreed to try to strengthen 
staffing and to seek approval of the FSM Congress to once again 
dedicate a Deputy Secretary to U.S. relations, now relegated to 
a more junior official.  However, they warned that the FSM 
Congress was seeking to abolish the Deputy position, 
particularly because it had remained unfilled.  Quiet 
cooperation on an approach to the release of FSM and U.S. 
letters to the editor will help rectify the gaffe Mori committed 
in this interview.  Post appreciates the guidance on content 
that the Department has provided. 
HUGHES