Tag Archives: US State Department
Congressman Hunter calls for a ban on some American aid tied to South Pacific Tuna Treaty
This follows the end of the treaty arrangements when the US failed to pay its first quarter levy and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency is no longer issuing licences to fish for tuna in the island countries’ waters.Hunter wants the US Congress to stop the US Government using congressionally approved funds as aid to the Pacific countries involved – which includes all the independent island nations in the region. Congress allocates about US$21 million dollars each annually to the US State Department as part of the federal government’s under the Tuna Treaty. Hunter said it’s important to stress economic assistance does not occur on its own; it had always been tied to United States boats fishing in the Treaty area. Read the rest here 10:59
Negotiations for new US tuna deal fail
South Pacific Tuna Company executives have reported that parties failed to agree on a long-term renewal of the 1987 South Pacific Tuna Treaty, which provides US purse seine vessels access to the Western and Central Pacific Ocean fisheries. “We don’t know what the lack of a US Treaty arrangement will mean to the future of the US fleet, its processors who rely on our supply in Samoa, or the other canneries on the Mainland, our service providers and employees. Read the rest here 15:38
Whaling and the death penalty: US accused of hypocrisy – Iceland shunned at Kerry’s Ocean Palooza
A SENIOR Icelandic government minister has hit back at American criticism of his country on whaling by saying the US was in no position to talk while it continued to execute people, including innocent victims. Finance Minister, Bjarni Benediktsson, said the US should not take the moral high ground while the death penalty remained in many states. Read more here 13:14
Human trafficking: Moment of truth arrives for Thailand
This week, the US State Department will unveil its annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, and the widespread expectation is that Thailand – which has been on the Tier 2 Watch List for the past four years for poor law enforcement – will be dropped to the lowest rung, Tier 3, joining the likes of Cuba, North Korea, Syria, Iran and Zimbabwe. Read more here 10:59
