By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

The Ministry of State has issued on Monday Oct. 8 a press statement downplaying reports about several offers from the Malaysian government including the establishment of diplomatic ties with Palau.
MOS noted that "numerous articles have been carried in local newspapers in the past claiming that the government of Malaysia is willing and ready to finance projects in Palau and to extend loans to assist the government of Palau including the failed Pacific Savings Bank."
The statement also said that the same articles claim that the so-called financial assistance and loans for projects and government programs would be made available only if the government of Palau establishes diplomatic ties with Malaysia.
"First, this is unheard of in the International Diplomacy," the MOS said.
It said that countries establish diplomatic and friendly ties with each other based on mutual trust, friendship and respect, not on some forms of economic blackmail or unilateral imposition.
MOS said that the government of Palau would establish diplomatic ties only with appropriate and formal dialogue with officials of foreign governments.
It added that unofficial representation from citizens of a country or countries purporting to discuss diplomatic relations will not be entertained "that is why Palau has not bothered with the issue of establishing diplomatic ties with Malaysia."
"Having said that, there will come a time in the future when Malaysia and Palau will hold formal dialogue with officials of both countries and through established procedures based on the Vienna Convention on International Diplomacy in order to establish diplomatic ties," MOS said in its statement.
Also this week, reporters got hold of a communication letter between Ahmad Rasidi Hazizi, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Philippines, and Ramon Rechebei, Ambassador of Palau to the Philippines, regarding an inquiry on the proposed multi-million dollar investment from Malaysia to Palau.
Hazizi noted in his letter to Rechebei "to refer to your letter dated 20 Sept. 2007" on the inquiry and "wish to inform you that we have sought clarification from the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department and the Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) over the assertion that PNB would finance the Nautilus City project as claimed by Governor Jackson Ngiraingas.
Hazizi also wrote Rechebei that "we were formally informed by EPU and PNB that they have no involvement whatsoever in the Nautilus City project."
Hazizi noted that the claim of Ngiraingas on the Government of Malaysia’s willingness and readiness to finance/assist the Nautilus City project in Palau has no basis at all.
Asked for comments, Ngiraingas said Rechebei could not possibly make such an inquiry by himself and accused President Remengesau and Minister Shmull of masterminding this.
Ngiraingas said it is tragic for a President and a country that is a member of the United Nations to resort to this kind of actions.
"Why isn’t the President go directly to the Prime Minister to ask inquiry?" Ngiraingas said.
The government of Peleliu, Ngiraingas said, he does not deal directly with the EPU.
"I never deal with anybody for this because I deal directly with the office of the Prime Minister and their officials," he said.
Ngiraingas said that all the things he has told to the public in the past are based on official letters issued by the government of Malaysia but the document would not be released to the public until after the diplomatic tie between Palau and Malaysia is established.
"The Governor of Peleliu does not spend any more time with President and his administration and members ofg his cabinet because this administration is a lame duck administration," Ngiraingas said.
Ngiraingas has also provided documents showing that it was President Remengesau and Minister Shmull who actually started the establishment of such diplomatic tie.