Visit to the Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Federated States of Micronesia

During my visit to the Micronesian region I had very productive discussions with Presidents Toribiong, Tomeing and Mori as well as a number of other key members of their governments.

Australia and the countries of Micronesia have a shared interest in the future development of the Pacific. This visit provided me with the opportunity to discuss a range of issues that are of mutual concern to all our countries, including the importance of sustainable fisheries management, the need to find effective solutions to meeting energy needs, the unique challenges of climate change to small island states and the launch of a new regional trade and economic agreement for the region (PACER Plus).

Our discussions also focused on the impact of the global economic crisis (GEC) on the Pacific and the importance of working together to address the challenges of the GEC on Pacific countries.

In all of these discussions, I took the opportunity to underscore Australia's broader commitment to the Pacific region, in the spirit of the Port Moresby Declaration's emphasis on mutual respect and partnership. I acknowledged the significant role that the countries of Micronesia continue to play in the region and the importance of strengthening our relationships in this key region.

Media inquiries: Mr Kerr's office - 02 6277 4991 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555