KOROR (ABC/Pacnews) — Despite apologies from some Pacific leaders, Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. wants to see the Pacific Island’s secretary general replaced with the Micronesian candidate.
“Our candidate needs to be put in immediately,” he said.
During a virtual meeting last week the prime ministers of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa apologized to Micronesian leaders over the dispute surrounding the election of the Forum’s secretary general earlier this year.
Micronesian countries were angered when their candidate for the secretary general position, Marshallese politician Gerald Zackios, was not chosen and they jointly decided to withdraw from the Forum.
Whipps Jr told Pacific Beat that replacing the secretary general would pave the way for Palau to return to the Forum and would be “the way forward” to resolve the situation quickly.
“Once that commitment is honored we can see a way forward… otherwise it’s just talk,” he said.
Surangel Whipps Jr.
