By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

President Remengesau said the Executive Branch has already made the same request a few years ago for the United States Senate’s Government Accountability Office to probe the country’s financial management.
The president was reacting to the request made by former House Speaker Augustine Mesebeluu for an audit regarding Palau’s fiscal responsibility.
The president said that he already asked for the same audit four years ago noting that in every consultations or meetings with U.S. officials an audit is requested.
The president said that Palau wants an audit prior to the Compact of Free Association negotiation with the U.S. by 2009.
The president said an early audit will prevent them from having problems with the negotiations and avoid the experience of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) when the countries’ respective programs were negotiated.
The president said the U.S. has recognized that Palau has a unique situation and has nothing to hide in its fiscal management of foreign aid and Compact funds.
Earlier the president asked U.S> President George W. Bush to begin the review process of the Compact of Free Association so that Palau can present it to the people in a referendum in Nov. 2008.
In a letter to President Bush, Remengesau said he will be joining the Washington members of the Palau’s Compact Review Commission (CRC) to discuss the process and timing and at the same time the Palau negotiators is preparing to begin meeting with the U.S. counterparts during the early fall.
The financial package of the Compact will lapse on 2009, the review process is now being conducted by Palau.
The president said Bush has yet to respond to the request..