19 May 2005

American Samoa makes another bid to get itself de-listed as a US colony

7:59 pm on 19 May 2005

American Samoa is making another bid to get itself de-listed as a colony of the United States.

At a meeting in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Deputy Director of Commerce, Lelei Peau will ask the United Nations to take it off its list of non self-governing territories.

Our correspondent Monica Miller says American Samoa sees itself as part of the United States and therefore not a colony, although, she says, the United States does not appear so keen to see the territory taken off the UN list.

"So that they can go to these meetings and tell people from Cuba and Antigua and other countries that are on the committee of 24, look this is how we are maintaining this relationship with a territory and we're not dictating to them what to do and it paints a very positive picture of the United States."

Monica Miller in American Samoa.