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PAPE‘ETE, Tahiti, French Polynesia (February 27, 2002 – Tahitipresse)---An Australian company may use one of the two Renaissance cruise ships, R3 and R4, stranded in Pape‘ete Harbor since Renaissance's bankruptcy September 25th last year, the government of French Polynesia announced Tuesday.

"This company would like to use one of the ships nine months out of twelve in New Caledonia and three months in French Polynesia," said French Polynesia President Gaston Flosse.

However, he did not give any details about the project or name the Australian company involved.

President Flosse met once again with bank and ship owner representatives during a trip to Paris last week. He criticized them, saying that they were only interested in "financial concerns" and did not think at all about the effects of their decisions on tourism and the economy in French Polynesia.

For additional reports from Tahiti Press, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information...

PAPE‘ETE, Tahiti, French Polynesia (February 27, 2002 – Tahitipresse)---Upon returning from a trip to Paris, French Polynesia President Gaston Flosse said Tuesday that the French government is responsible for maintaining Air Lib Paris-Pape‘ete flights against all odds and that this has made it impossible for local airline Air Tahiti Nui to get landing rights in the French capital.

Flosse said, as a result, he will go to the Pape‘ete Administrative Court in an effort to obtain financial compensation from France.

"We tried in vain to negotiate with Air Lib on code-share agreements. No meeting between the two airlines has taken place since January 28th. Air Lib said unofficially that they would like to stop flying to Pape‘ete because they keep on losing money on this route. I believe the French minister of transports, Jean-Claude Gayssot, asked the airline to maintain its flights to Pape‘ete until the next French elections," said Flosse.

The President added that...

By Jayvee Vallejera

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (March 1, 2002 – Saipan Tribune)---Acting Gov. Diego T. Benavente yesterday signed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a landmark accord that provides a mechanism for developing land that harbors the endangered nightingale reed-warbler.

Fish and Wildlife Director Richard B. Seman said the accord, known as the Saipan Upland Mitigation Bank Agreement, is the first measure of its kind in the Pacific region.

"The agreement balances the need of land developers with the need to protect the habitat of the nightingale reed-warbler, a bird unique to Saipan and Alamagan that is federally and locally protected," he said.

Benavente said the agreement establishes the rights and responsibilities of both the CNMI government and Fish and Wildlife in protecting the bird and allowing land development on Saipan.

"This is a win-win situation. Through this, the CNMI government and private land developers will...

NUKU‘ALOFA, Tonga (February 28, 2002 - AFP/PACNEWS/THRDM/ Pasifik Nius)---Tonga's Human Rights and Democracy Movement admits its image has been tarnished by allegations that a controversial letter purporting to reveal a royal secret slush fund may have been a forgery, say news reports.

But the movement has denied any involvement in any forgery, although it publicized the letter.

"We are sorry that this is happening. But we are very clear that we're not involved," PACNEWS quoted movement director Lopeti Senituli as saying.

"However, the court will have to decide given that copies of the letter were found in our office."

News agency Agence France-Presse reported that with two leading members of the movement in jail facing forgery charges over the letter, movement officials agreed the drama may seriously hurt them in general elections in a fortnight.

Last month, the movement's newspaper Kele‘a, edited by commoner Member of Parliament ‘Akilisi Pohiva...