The United Nation's committee that oversees the decolonisation process for Pacific territories meets later this month to see if any progress can be made.
Last month a regional seminar heard a message from the UN Secretary General that said it falls to the United Nations and to all members of the international community, to help bring this process to a successful conclusion.
But a constitutional expert from Victoria University in Wellington, Tony Angelo, who provided advice for New Zealand administered Tokelau, says the committee faces a real challenge over how to move forward with those on the list:
"Most, I think are reasonably happy with their present system, that may even be the case with Tokelau, though the perenial question is how do you fit the status quo into the international or UN norms. Is there a way that those who have a good level of self government and who just don't want to be bothered anymore can get off the list."
Any more discussion over the future status of those on the list of non self governing territories will take place in New York in just over in two week's time.
