Toribiong and his entourage left for New York, Saturday evening where he will be addressing the other Head of States on Sept. 25 to talk about climate change, biodiversity, marine life, Palau’s position on whaling and tuna resources in the Pacific among others.
The 64th session of the assembly will open starting Sept. 15 in New York.The president will also be meeting with State Secretary Hilary Clinton. The president said that while in New York, he will be meeting with Alcy Frelick, Director of the Office of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Affairs and head of the United States Compact review group.Frelick in a letter to President Toribiong asked for a meeting while he is in the U.S.Frelick in the letter said that there are several bilateral items of interest that both parties will be discussing. The president will also be meeting, Daniel Fried , United State Special Envoy to facilitate the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba.Toribiong said the meeting with Fried is to further discuss the issue on Uighurs detainees.The president added that he will no longer meet Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the meeting since the chief executive cannot make it to the Un General Assembly.Earlier, the Embassy of the Philippines in a note verbale asked the Palau government whether the president and State Minister Sandra Pierantozzi “would be inclined to hold bilateral meetings” with President Arroyo and Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo at the sidelines of the UN assembly.Arroyo is scheduled to visit Palau this year on the invitation of the Palau government.
