13 May 2010

American Samoa to miss UN Decolonisation talks in Noumea

7:02 pm on 13 May 2010

The American Samoa Governor, Togiola Tulafono, says he will not attend next week's Pacific Seminar of the UN Decolonisation Committee in New Caledonia.

Togiola says it's with regrets that he has informed the Committee Chair that he is unable to attend due to the delay in arrival of the formal invitation.

Reports say the invitation was to be sent by the US State Department or the Secretary of the Interior.

He says this is a tragedy and he thinks it highlights the dilemma American Samoa faces as a dependent territory.

Togiola says he is sorry that American Samoa is unable to provide important insight that the committee may need for its deliberations.