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PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (August 1, 2002 -- Radio Australia)---Papua New Guinea's main anti-corruption agency, the Ombudsman Commission, is already chasing the losers in this year's PNG elections, demanding that they return funds they're no longer entitled to.

Radio Australia correspondent Sean Dorney reports that the chief ombudsman has initiated action to recover more than AUD$ 3 million (US$ 1,629,900) of public money.

"Papua New Guinea's parliamentarians have access to what is called the ‘discretionary component’ of their annual district support grants.

"Even though the election has come in the middle of the year, the chief ombudsman, Ila Geno, says investigations by the commission have revealed that all 109 members have been paid out their full allocation for 2002.

"He's after those who've been beaten, demanding that they repay into PNG's public coffers an estimated AUD$ 60,000 - $70,000,000 (US$ 32,598 – 38,031) each.

"At least 67...

PALIKIR, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia (August 1, 2002 – FSM Information Services)---The 2nd meeting of Micronesian Presidents is under way in Palau this week.

The Heads of Governments are meeting to consider issues of mutual interest to the U.S. affiliated Freely Associated States.

The three Presidents -- Leo A. Falcam – President of the Federated States of Micronesia, Kessai H. Note – President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. – President of the Republic of Palau -- are expected to provide updates on some of the issues considered during last year’s meeting in the FSM. Topics then ranged from the ongoing Compact of Free Association re-negotiations to quarantine standardization to issues of telecommunication capacities.

The Heads of Government are expected during this summit to consider the following major issues:

- the recent Asia, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Summit; - the upcoming World Summit on...

PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM SECRETARIAT Suva, Fiji Islands

PRESS STATEMENT August 2, 2002

Trade Ministers from the 14 Pacific ACP Countries meet in Fiji next week, August 6th, as part of preparations for talks with the European Union in September on new trade arrangements.

Under the Cotonou Agreement, the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group and the EU will negotiate, between September 27, 2002 and December 2007, new trade arrangements that will come into force on January 1, 2008. The arrangements will be compatible with rules of the World Trade Organization.

The Pacific ACP Ministers will determine the trade options to be negotiated with the EU under the provisions of the Cotonou Agreement. The options include a Regional Economic Partnership Arrangement (REPA) involving technical assistance and capacity building to assist the island countries with the negotiations. This will form the basis of a new Action Plan that will be presented to the EU...

FUNAFUTI, Tuvalu (August 2, 2002 – Radio New Zealand International)---Tuvalu’s new Parliament meets today to elect a prime minister, with two candidates seeking the post.

They are MPs Amasone Kilei and Saufatu Sopo‘aga, a former Secretary to Government.

The new 15-member Parliament was elected a week ago. Six previous members lost their seats, including the prime minister, Koloa Talaki, and the speaker.

The governor general called today’s session. It will be followed by the formation of a Cabinet.

Tuvalu has no party system.

Mr. Kilei is from Nui and Mr. Sopo‘aga is from Nukufetau.

For additional reports from Radio New Zealand International, go to PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT News/Information Links: Radio/TV News/Radio New Zealand International.