There has been a call for a referendum in American Samoa on the territory's status with the UN which lists it as a territory to be decolonised.
The territory's member of the US Congress, Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, says he takes issue with claims that describe American Samoa as an unwilling US colony.
He says over the past 7 years American Samoan leaders have made it clear that the territory is not a colony but an integral part of the US.
Faleomavaega says a plebiscite should be held among residents to get their views on the UN status.
He says such a referendum could be conducted by the US department of the interior, with monitoring perhaps by the UN.
