Politico: Defiance by Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands cast shadow over Biden’s Pacific Summit
The administration pledges sweeteners to boost U.S-Pacific Island country ties.
Dissension among participants of the first-ever U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit opening Wednesday in Washington, D.C., is complicating the Biden administration’s efforts to forge stronger ties with the region.
Two of the summit’s participants — the Marshall Islands and Solomon Islands — are publicly resisting Biden administration efforts to deepen U.S. influence in the region.
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WNU Editor: The reason why the Marshall Islands is refusing to sign the White House declaration note is the following ....
.... The Marshall Islands on Sept. 23 suspended talks with the U.S. on renewing its strategic partnership, or Compact of Free Association Agreement, to protest the perceived U.S. failure to address the economic, environmental and health legacy of U.S. nuclear weapons testing around the atolls from 1946 to 1958.
And as for the Solomon Islands ....
.... And the Solomon Islands, which signed a controversial security pact with China earlier this year, is refusing to sign an 11-point summit declaration “designed to provide a framework for intensified U.S. engagement in the Pacific,” the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported Tuesday. “The Solomons have been actively engaged in all the efforts that we’ve been involved with,” a senior administration official said Tuesday, without addressing the Australian report.
This is an embarrassing situation for the White House. These issues should have been resolved before the summit.
More News On The U.S. Led Pacific Summit
Biden looks to win over Pacific Island leaders at summit -- AP
U.S. vows 'big dollar' help to Pacific islands in China contest -- Reuters
Solomon Islands tells Pacific islands it won't sign White House summit declaration -note -- Reuters
Solomon Islands refusing to sign 11-point declaration at historic Pacific-US meeting -- ABC News Australia
US Pacific summit faces rocky start as island leaders reject Washington’s offers -- The Guardian