Approximately 200 FSM citizens residing in Honolulu took advantage of the opportunity to dialogue with their president on issues concerning eligibility to medical and social services, employment and education.
Mori spoke of the special relationship between the United States and the FSM as being warm, strong and fundamentally complex and beneficial to both countries.
Several times at the meeting, he strongly urged FSM citizens in Hawaii to behave as responsible “guests” by following regulations and showing respect to the culture of the place.
Mori also informed the people that the FSM government has solicited the service of two professional researchers to conduct a study in the next four months to provide a better understanding on the net impact of FSM citizens on affected U.S. jurisdictions and asked that people be truthful and serious if selected in the study. In particular, the study should show FSM citizens’ contributions to their place of residence.
Other questions were raised regarding events and activities at home, including the FSM congressional resolution calling for the president to work on terminating the Compact by 2018.
Mori said the resolution is an expression of current frustrations over the problematic implementation of the Compact but expressed strong doubt that the FSM Congress would adopt it.
He said FSM leaders would not work toward terminating the Compact at any point in the future without the expressed will of the people.
Although he will no longer be the president by 2018, Mori revealed that he prefers strengthening processes and working out differences that create dissatisfaction over the compact rather than working on terminating it in the manner called for by the resolution.
