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MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Marianas Variety, Mar. 3) - Marshall Islands Finance Secretary Saeko Shoniber breathed a sigh of relief this week after the Taiwanese ambassador turned over a check of more than $2.5 million to the government. The ministry had been facing cash-flow problems while waiting for reimbursement of funding from both the Taiwan and United States governments.

The Taiwan government funding is the latest support for various projects and government services, and is providing $2,578,895.02 for 14 projects, the largest of which is a matching grant for about $1 million in United States funding for infrastructure on Ebeye, the over-crowded island next to the U.S. Army-run Kwajalein missile testing range.

Ambassador Gary Lin made the presentation to Foreign Minister Gerald Zackios and Finance Minister Brenson Wase on Friday.

Since the Marshall Islands and Taiwan established diplomatic ties in late 1998, Taiwan has provided about $10 million annually to...

HAGATNA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Mar. 3) - Federated States of Micronesia voters will hit the polls tomorrow to select representatives to the country's 13th Congress, according to a FSM government press release.

Voters will select among 31 candidates for 14 congressional seats. This year's election also will seat at-large representatives, all of whom are eligible for the nation's presidency and vice presidency.

The congressional race includes 10 two-year seats and four at-large seats. Representatives will be chosen for the island nation's states of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap.

The FSM Office of the National Election Director said new procedures for the upcoming election will ensure "an accurate and timely election process."

In a new procedure, each ballot box will be tabulated on site and results then transmitted to each National Election Commissioner's office, where they will be compiled and certified, according to the release.

Results could...

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (RNZI, Mar. 3) - Voters in the French Pacific territory of Wallis and Futuna will got to the polls on March the 16th and 23rd in fresh elections for a member of the French parliament.

The constitutional council in Paris set the new dates after declaring last December that Victor Brial had not been elected properly.

His election was annulled because of improperly marked ballot papers.

Two more by-elections will be held in mainland France on the same dates.

March 3, 2003

Radio New Zealand International: www.rnzi.com.

SYDNEY, Australia (PINA, Mar. 2) - Nauru President Bernard Dowiyogo, battling many crises, has signed executive orders to not renew offshore banking licenses or issue further "investor passports," the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

America’s Bush administration is angry over possible terrorist links to Nauru’s existing tax schemes and money laundering by organized crime, the newspaper said.

The U.S. fears terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda could use Nauru to launder funds. It threatened to impose tough financial sanctions and repossess Air Nauru’s only aircraft, the Sydney Morning Herald said.

The Sydney Morning Herald said a Nauru delegation was warned of retaliatory measures over its existing schemes when it appeared before a congressional committee in Washington.

Secretary of State Colin Powell also wrote to Dowiyogo, raising concerns about terrorism in relation to the country’s off-shore banks and passport operations.

Nauru, once wealthy from...