Source: Radio Australia
Papua New Guinea has rejoined crucial talks with the United States over the South Pacific Tuna Treaty. The Managing Director of PNG’s National Fisheries Authority explains, in this interview, what the conditions are that the PNG delegation set out for its return.
Presenter Jemima Garrett
Speaker Sylvester Pokajam, Managing Director of Papua New Guinea's National Fisheries Authority
Pokajam: We pull out because, as you know, we are not happy with the way we been negotiating with the US, especially on the national laws, VDS (Vessel Day Scheme), broader co-operation. That is why we pulled out. But, at the moment, with this negotiation that we have now, US has, in fact, addressed all the issues that we have raised in our withdrawal notice.
Garret: The Papua New Guinea Minister leading the delegation , Charles Abel, has brought a letter from Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to the US. What did that have to say?
Yes, because our Prime minister has been getting a lot of feedback from his Pacific neighbors. They have requested him to consider the withdrawal of the withdrawal. Prime Minister has taken that into account, and also of the very key interests we have in the Pacific and also with the United States,. So it was a wide range of issues that the Prime minister took into account. I think the US has come good now, with all the requests that we have put in. So he is now considered withdrawing. He has also been talking to the Secretary of State, in the United States, and that is why he has now given notice to the Pacific Island parties, that PNG is intending to withdraw the withdrawal. However, in that withdrawal notice that we saw this morning, which the Minister presented to the United States delegates, he is also putting two conditions. One is that for the 25th licensing period under the current treaty, PNG wanted the US to pay $US45 million. That is one condition and the second condition is that he would like to see some kind of organized way in terms of the pricing method of the value of a day. He wants to see some kind of a formula that can be incorporated into the next treaty.
When Papua New Guinea says it wants the US to pay $35 million, who does that 35 million go to? Is it all the Pacific countries or just Papua New Guinea?
It is not $35 million it is $45million. And the US is offering $35 million, but that $35 million is for the parties. It is for everyone to be shared equally.
You also mentioned there has been some movement by the US. In the past, they have been driving a pretty hard bargain. What sort of positive steps are you seeing?
They've come very good now, as I would say, on national laws, application of national laws to the US vessels. In the past, it is the Treaty that drives the management of the vessels fishing in our Exclusive Economic zones of the coastal states. But that has changed now. The US vessels fishing in the EEZ's of the Pacific Island parties are subject to our domestic law, in terms of conservation and management measures, enforcement and things like that. So that is a big, big plus for us.
The current treaty expires in May. How real is the risk that it will expire before a new deal is is reached?
There is a real risk in here.