The office of Guam's Governor Felix Camacho says it's confident the United States will understand his request to delay plans to relocate over 8,000 US troops to the island.
An office spokesman, Shaun Gumataotao, says the request stems from concern in Guam that plans for the relocation and associated construction to happen by 2014 would cause too much strain on the island's resources.
Mr Gumataotao says that to compress up to twenty years of growth in the short period until 2014 would be a difficult task for Guam.
He says the request gives an opportunity to ensure that all funding and support for the troop relocation from Japan is carried out properly.
"'To be able to respond accordingly, despite the Japanese Diet funding for the programme so far, the US Congress has been very clear that there are a number of things that need to be completed before they'd even begin that process with appropriating money. So it's been incumbent on us to look at that, express that to the US and Japanese governments and we are hopeful for a good response from both."
Shaun Gumataotao
