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SUVA, Fiji (Fijilive, Jan. 4) – The proposed National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) will have a total membership of 45, the interim regime has revealed.

It will comprise members of a number of civil society organisations, provincial councils and the Government.

Permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's office, Parmesh Chand said 13 invitees out of the 24 had so far confirmed their participation in the council.

He said there were a few who had declined the offer whereas quite a number of others were undecided due to fear of travel bans.

He added there were 8 nominees from the Minister for Fijian Affairs to represent the 14 provinces.

"There will be 3 more invites sent to represent the grassroots people," Chand said.

He said the duration of the membership was as long as their services would be required for the development of the People's Charter for Change and Progress, and thereafter for pursuance of dialogue, consensus...

By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.

KOROR, Palau (Palau Horizon, Jan. 4) — Palau President Tommy Remengesau recently appointed an honorary consul of Palau in Israel in an effort to strengthen ties between the two countries particularly in economic development and tourism.

Named to the new post was Arnon Perlman, who told reporters during a simple ceremony on Friday Dec. 28 at the poolside of Palau Pacific Resort that he was chief media adviser to the late former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

He said he also served as special emissary to several missions around the world.

At present, Perlan is involved in private businesses both in Israel and to several countries as Board member and in research programs.

Commenting on his new post, Perlan said he would be helping market Palau in Israel specifically tourism.

Perlan, who served as a captain in the Israeli Navy, is currently a diving instructor by profession.

"I am very much interested in marine...

By Bernadette H. Carreon

KOROR (Palau Horizon, Jan. 4) — Palau President Tommy Remengesau said he is hopeful that review of the Compact of Free Association with the United States will begin January 2008.

Remengesau told reporters that Palau’s Ambassador to the United States Hersey Kyota is working on facilitating the talks early in 2008.

He said that the Palau government is anticipating that the review will begin as early as January.

He said this way, outcome of the renegotiation can be presented to the electorate simultaneous with the general elections in November 2008.

"We do not expect the talks to be sophisticated or adversarial. We are looking at two friends coming into the table," the president said.

He said an early review will also keep the momentum going and not take steps back into the Compact agreement.

The president said that U. S. lawmakers have been very receptive about the early review.

The president said that...

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Jan. 2) – Thirty-five lists of candidates have been filed for the Jan. 27 first round of voting for the 57 seats in the French Polynesia Assembly, with the winners of the Feb. 10 runoff voting due to choose Tahiti's next government president.

Among those 35 lists are three that did not exist for the last general elections in May 2004 that led to pro-independence party leader Oscar Temaru becoming French Polynesia government president for the first time.

Two of the lists filed by the noon Monday deadline at the French High Commission's Papeete office are for Here Ai'a candidates for the 37 Windward Islands seats and the three Austral Islands seats. The third list involves candidates from the Greens party for the three seats representing the Gambier Islands-East Tuamotu Archipelago.

In the 2004 election, those two parties were part of Temaru's Union for Democracy (UPLD) coalition, which also included his Tavini Huiraatira party and...