Pacific delimitation
NZ is gunning for a seat at the UN Security Council and Trade Minister Tim Groser is putting his hat in the ring for World Trade Organisation Director-General. The NZ government has just committed itself to an April 2013 withdrawal of military support to the NATO occupation of Afghanistan. Hilary Clinton was about, APEC is about to start. There is a flurry (that's the word usually employed to describe several cocktail parties occuring in the same week) of diplomatic activity. But in all of this focus on international relations punctuated by soothing and ingratiating rhetoric such as "punching above their weight" (used by the US Secretary of State to epitomise the slavish NZ policy of giving our blood for America's interests) the scene reminds us that decolonisation for NZ is a vague concept, light years away from reaching a concrete reality.
So too the South Pacific as a whole is stuck in a colonial funk of dependency - run by the two big white countries as proxies for bigger white countries further away. The intrusion of China into this cosy European club is meeting resistance and Rodham-Clinton's presence was a sign of that tension and a reminder America regards the Pacific as its turf.
43rd South Pacific Forum in Rarotonga last week. (Note Derek Fox handling media).
Importantly, an extensive agreement on maritime boundaries has been reached:
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The seven (7) bilateral treaties were signed by the leaders of the Cook Islands, Niue, Kiribati, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Nauru and the Marshall Islands. In addition, the leaders of Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Nauru agreed to an additional tri-lateral treaty concerning the determination of a point where the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of all three (3) countries intersect, referred to as a “Tri-junction point”.[...]The Pacific Islands Region has approximately 48 shared boundaries where neighbouring jurisdictions overlap and of these only 21 are currently subject to treaty. The signing and settlement of these new treaties is a land mark event and will provide legal and jurisdictional certainty and provide a more accurate and secure basis for the management of the Pacific Ocean space, including fishing activity, marine environmental protection, marine research and the management and exploration of natural resources.
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Tokelau is still part of NZ (having rejected MFAT's attempts to dump them at two previous referenda) and so the negotiations from that side - as well as from the Cooks and Niue - would have probably involved Wellington. The ocean is a patchwork of EEZ (and now continental shelf) claims that overlap and are in dispute so a resolution to so much potential friction is to be welcomed. The divvying up of sea floor and fisheries continues and this will assist with that exploitation. For good or ill.
The official communique at point 5:
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5. Leaders welcomed the Regional Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Deep Sea Minerals Exploration identified as a Pacific Plan priority action in 2009 and thanked the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the European Union (EU) for the assistance towards the Framework. Leaders recommended that Forum Island Countries (FICs) consider using the Framework in formulating relevant national policy noting it highlights the need for a precautionary approach and addresses economic, social and environmental aspects to ensure sustainable resource use prevails.
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Fishing is the perennial issue:
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21. Leaders called for science-based management action to address overfishing, including the adoption of appropriate management measures by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
[...]
22. Leaders noted progress in renegotiating the terms of the US Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries and directed officials to continue the negotiations on remaining outstanding issues with a view to seeking agreement on an appropriate level of payment for the fisheries resources of the region commensurate with their great value. Leaders also agreed that the current distribution formula for the internal distribution of the Treaty funds among Pacific Island Parties be maintained.
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On Fiji there has been a lot of backsliding:
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55. Leaders noted the Forum’s ongoing work to encourage and support Fiji’s return to parliamentary democracy in accordance with the Biketawa Declaration and reiterated the Forum’s intention to remain engaged with Fiji. Leaders welcomed the successful visit of the Forum Minister Contact Group (MCG) to Fiji on 1 May 2012 and noted the Group’s report to Forum Leaders with its assessment of the situation in Fiji.
56. Leaders noted progress made in 2012 towards elections in September 2014, including the registration of voters and the establishment of the Constitutional Commission, and the assurances given to the MCG that there would be freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom for the media. Leaders reaffirmed their long standing offer to support Fiji’s early return to parliamentary democracy, including through the provision of appropriate assistance, consistent with the Forum’s underlying principles and values of respect for democracy, good governance and the rule of law.
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This is such a pathetic cop-out. Assurances of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom for the media is nonsense with the military regime in Suva continuing to oppress and intimidate and refusing permission to hold meetings. As for the shonky Constitutional Commission this is a joke. The regime abrogated the constitution in the first place because the judges told them to hold an election. Now they will only hold an election... under their own constitution that they are going to invent. It's ridiculous. They flew in a load of Sri Lankan judges when no one with any credibility would serve as an illegal judge for the dictatorship. Collaboration with the Suva regime is a mistake, it will merely encourage more coups when one faction can't get their own way.
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69. Leaders noted the success of regional cooperation and solidarity in highlighting Pacific issues within United Nations fora. Leaders recognised the importance of Pacific representation on the UN Security Council (UNSC) in ensuring that the UNSC remained informed of international issues of concern to the region. In that regard, Leaders reaffirmed their strong and unanimous support for Australia’s candidature for the UNSC for the term 2013-2014 and New Zealand’s candidature for the term 2015-2016.
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The white kids and their gang.
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70. Leaders reiterated their support for the principle of French Polynesia’s right to self-determination. Leaders noted the election of a new French government that opened fresh opportunities for a positive dialogue between French Polynesia and France on how best to realise French Polynesia’s right to self-determination. Leaders encouraged French Polynesia and France to intensify their dialogue in the coming months and agreed to consider developments at their 2013 meeting.
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And a free pass to the French to drag the chain. No particular mention of Kanaky/New Caledonia either.
The French role as part of the Pacific Maritime Surveillance Partnership is seen no doubt as a practical necessity, but having a colonial power as part of the regional security system is regrettable:
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Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States, as the four principal providers of aerial and surface maritime surveillance that supports the efforts of Pacific Island countries [...]
-----
The regular appearance of the French Republic at various Pacific fora (including the South Pacific Forum as "associate" members) is an abomination.
So too the South Pacific as a whole is stuck in a colonial funk of dependency - run by the two big white countries as proxies for bigger white countries further away. The intrusion of China into this cosy European club is meeting resistance and Rodham-Clinton's presence was a sign of that tension and a reminder America regards the Pacific as its turf.
Importantly, an extensive agreement on maritime boundaries has been reached:
-----
The seven (7) bilateral treaties were signed by the leaders of the Cook Islands, Niue, Kiribati, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Nauru and the Marshall Islands. In addition, the leaders of Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Nauru agreed to an additional tri-lateral treaty concerning the determination of a point where the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of all three (3) countries intersect, referred to as a “Tri-junction point”.[...]The Pacific Islands Region has approximately 48 shared boundaries where neighbouring jurisdictions overlap and of these only 21 are currently subject to treaty. The signing and settlement of these new treaties is a land mark event and will provide legal and jurisdictional certainty and provide a more accurate and secure basis for the management of the Pacific Ocean space, including fishing activity, marine environmental protection, marine research and the management and exploration of natural resources.
-----
Tokelau is still part of NZ (having rejected MFAT's attempts to dump them at two previous referenda) and so the negotiations from that side - as well as from the Cooks and Niue - would have probably involved Wellington. The ocean is a patchwork of EEZ (and now continental shelf) claims that overlap and are in dispute so a resolution to so much potential friction is to be welcomed. The divvying up of sea floor and fisheries continues and this will assist with that exploitation. For good or ill.
The official communique at point 5:
-----
5. Leaders welcomed the Regional Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Deep Sea Minerals Exploration identified as a Pacific Plan priority action in 2009 and thanked the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the European Union (EU) for the assistance towards the Framework. Leaders recommended that Forum Island Countries (FICs) consider using the Framework in formulating relevant national policy noting it highlights the need for a precautionary approach and addresses economic, social and environmental aspects to ensure sustainable resource use prevails.
-----
Fishing is the perennial issue:
-----
21. Leaders called for science-based management action to address overfishing, including the adoption of appropriate management measures by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.
[...]
22. Leaders noted progress in renegotiating the terms of the US Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries and directed officials to continue the negotiations on remaining outstanding issues with a view to seeking agreement on an appropriate level of payment for the fisheries resources of the region commensurate with their great value. Leaders also agreed that the current distribution formula for the internal distribution of the Treaty funds among Pacific Island Parties be maintained.
-----
On Fiji there has been a lot of backsliding:
-----
55. Leaders noted the Forum’s ongoing work to encourage and support Fiji’s return to parliamentary democracy in accordance with the Biketawa Declaration and reiterated the Forum’s intention to remain engaged with Fiji. Leaders welcomed the successful visit of the Forum Minister Contact Group (MCG) to Fiji on 1 May 2012 and noted the Group’s report to Forum Leaders with its assessment of the situation in Fiji.
56. Leaders noted progress made in 2012 towards elections in September 2014, including the registration of voters and the establishment of the Constitutional Commission, and the assurances given to the MCG that there would be freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom for the media. Leaders reaffirmed their long standing offer to support Fiji’s early return to parliamentary democracy, including through the provision of appropriate assistance, consistent with the Forum’s underlying principles and values of respect for democracy, good governance and the rule of law.
-----
This is such a pathetic cop-out. Assurances of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom for the media is nonsense with the military regime in Suva continuing to oppress and intimidate and refusing permission to hold meetings. As for the shonky Constitutional Commission this is a joke. The regime abrogated the constitution in the first place because the judges told them to hold an election. Now they will only hold an election... under their own constitution that they are going to invent. It's ridiculous. They flew in a load of Sri Lankan judges when no one with any credibility would serve as an illegal judge for the dictatorship. Collaboration with the Suva regime is a mistake, it will merely encourage more coups when one faction can't get their own way.
-----
69. Leaders noted the success of regional cooperation and solidarity in highlighting Pacific issues within United Nations fora. Leaders recognised the importance of Pacific representation on the UN Security Council (UNSC) in ensuring that the UNSC remained informed of international issues of concern to the region. In that regard, Leaders reaffirmed their strong and unanimous support for Australia’s candidature for the UNSC for the term 2013-2014 and New Zealand’s candidature for the term 2015-2016.
-----
The white kids and their gang.
-----
70. Leaders reiterated their support for the principle of French Polynesia’s right to self-determination. Leaders noted the election of a new French government that opened fresh opportunities for a positive dialogue between French Polynesia and France on how best to realise French Polynesia’s right to self-determination. Leaders encouraged French Polynesia and France to intensify their dialogue in the coming months and agreed to consider developments at their 2013 meeting.
-----
And a free pass to the French to drag the chain. No particular mention of Kanaky/New Caledonia either.
The French role as part of the Pacific Maritime Surveillance Partnership is seen no doubt as a practical necessity, but having a colonial power as part of the regional security system is regrettable:
-----
Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States, as the four principal providers of aerial and surface maritime surveillance that supports the efforts of Pacific Island countries [...]
-----
The regular appearance of the French Republic at various Pacific fora (including the South Pacific Forum as "associate" members) is an abomination.
posted by Tim Selwyn @ 12:42 pm
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