“Highlights” from September 2004 – June 2005

September 2004
October 2004
January 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005

2004

SEPTEMBER

September 8 - Ambassador Evan J. Paki presented his credentials to the Honorable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada. During his visit Ambassador Paki held a range of productive meetings with Canadian Ministers and senior officials in relation to matters of mutual interest to both governments in the areas of trade and investment (especially in the oil, gas and minerals sectors where Canadian companies have been the mainstay of these industries in Papua New Guinea), as well as scholarship opportunities and other cultural and education exchange programs; the Canadian Commonwealth scholarships, for instance, have enabled PNG graduate students to attend universities in Canada.

Ambassador Paki meets Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin in his office, while the PM’s chief of staff looks on.

September 29-October 1 - The PNG Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, The Rt. Hon. Sir Rabbie L. Namaliu made a side trip from the UN General Assembly Sessions into Washington DC for a serious of substantive back-to-back meetings with ranking U.S. Administration officials and leading lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Sir Rabbie, accompanied by Ambassador Paki and PNG’s Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs, met with U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and discussed a range of bilateral matters aimed at enhancing the relations between PNG and the United States; the two leaders, on behalf of their respective governments, also executed a ‘Article 98’ Agreement under the Statute of the Rome Status of the Criminal Court; among other high-level meetings, the Foreign Minister also met with Senator Richard Lugar, the Republican Chairman of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee and discussed a range of bilateral matters to enhance the UN Observer Mission to Bougainville.

Click here for the ministerial press releases issued in relation to the Foreign Minister’s historic meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State – the first time a visiting PNG Foreign Minister has been personally received by a U.S. Secretary of State - and other meetings and discussions in Washington DC.

September 30 - In addition, Sir Rabbie Namaliu and Secretary Powell signed the ‘Article 98’ Treaty between PNG and the United States, which further strengthened the cordial relationship between the two countries.

Sir Rabbie Namaliu and Secretary Colin Powell exchanging the executed instruments of the ‘Article 98’ Treaty signed on September 1, 2004 between PNG and the United States.

Foreign Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu, accompanied by Ambassador Paki and PNG Foreign Affairs official Tarci Eri, meet with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on October 1, in the Senator’s office on Capitol Hill.

OCTOBER

October 23-26 - Ambassador Paki accompanied a delegation of three PNG Government ministers, Minister of Justice Hon. Mark Maipakai, Minister of Internal Security Hon. Bire Kimisopa, and Minister of Correctional Institutional Services, Hon. Posa Menai, accompanied by two government officials. The Ministers, under instruction from the PNG Government, were on a “death penalty” study tour of the State of Texas, where they met with judges of the Supreme Court of Texas (and were allowed in observe actual court proceedings where capital cases were being tried); and discussed a wide range criminal justice system issues with prison system administrators and criminal justice system authorities in Texas in order to understand how their criminal justice system works as a State under the authority granted to them by the U.S. Constitution. State of Texas commissioned by the Texas State Government as ‘Honorary Texans’, where they were presented a certificate of acknowledgement signed by Texas Governor Rick Perry.

The three Ministers and their officers with Ambassador Paki and PNG’s Honorary Consul in Texas, Mr. Nathan Avery (white shirt without jacket) in Mr. Avery’s offices in Houston, Texas.

2005

JANUARY

In the wake of the devastating tsunami that took place on December 26, 2004, responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and India, the PNG Government, like many governments around the world, took substantive action to contribute towards the massive relief effort (PNG passed legislation to grant tax relief to taxpayers making contributions towards the relief effort, established a fund, etc). In addition to these humanitarian efforts in PNG, the Ambassador Paki, on behalf of the Embassy, made additional donations towards each county’s relief efforts.

Sri Lankian Ambassador (center), His Excellency Devinda Rohan Subasinghe, with Ambassador Paki and Congressman Leach (right) and his chief of staff (left) at a Pre-Inauguration reception at the congressman’s home, January 19.

President Bush delivers his Second Inaugural Address on January 20.

January 13 – The PNG Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Somare was invited to New York’s Columbia University to deliver a speech to the graduating MBA class of 2004. The Prime Minister challenges the graduands to be responsible world citizens – and be productive members of society - befitting of graduates of a world-class business school, by being actively involved in society’s environment, climate change and other worthy universal causes.

Prime Minister prepares to deliver the keynote speech to Columbia University Business School’s MBA class of 2004, while Columbia Business School dean (and former Chairman of President George W. Bush’s Council of Economic Advisors) Glen Hubbard looks on.

Ambassador Paki attends a pre-inaugural party hosted by Congressman Jim Leach and Mrs. Leach at their home. Congressman Leach is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs.

APRIL

April 13 - Ambassador Paki met with Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Gary Roughead (also the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Pacific Command) and Brigadier General James Kennon, Director for Logistics, Engineering, and Security Assistance, with U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii. They discussed a wide range of military and security issues and explored the opportunities for increasing military interaction and security cooperation between PNG and the United States (through the U.S. Pacific Command) and between Pacific countries generally.

Ambassador Paki and the military leaders agreed that there is a pressing need to cooperate more now than ever before in the areas of countering transborder or transnational crimes, arms smuggling, anti-drug operations, as well as detecting illegal fishing. Both countries agreed to explore the training and education opportunities for PNG military and security officers in the US. PNG continues to have serious challenges in the areas of drug trafficking and weapons smuggling. The U.S. has offered to further develop and increase military relations between the US and PNG by offering training programs and other education opportunities for PNG’s military, security officers, and other personnel who are involved in policing and security operations in PNG’s waters as well as along its borders.

A military delegation from the United States will visit Port Moresby in June for discussions with PNG Government leaders and officials in relation to increasing the current level of military and security assistance to PNG from the U.S. Rear Admiral Richard Kelly, Director of the Command’s Joint Interagency Task Force-West (JIATF-W) will be leading the U.S. team and will focus on what training and other assistance the U.S. could provide PNG, especially in the areas of anti-drug and counter-arms smuggling operations (including the safeguarding PNG’s domestic and territorial waters).

April 28–30 - Ambassador Paki attended the Third Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies held in Santiago, Chile. The Community of Democracies is a coalition of democratic countries, initiated in 1999 with the common goal of strengthening democratic institutions and values at the national, regional, and global levels. Among the guests in attendance were the Chilean President Ricardo Lagos, Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker, and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The previous other two conferences were held in Warsaw, Poland (2000) and Seoul, South Korea (2002). The Fourth Ministerial Conference will be held in Mali in 2007.

Left to right: Brigadier General James Kennon, Ambassador Paki and Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Gary Roughead.

April 27-30 – The Government of Chile invited Papua New Guinea to the Third Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies in Santiago, Chile, April 27-30. As PNG’s Foreign Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu was unable to attend (given commitments at home and abroad), Ambassador stood in for the him in representing PNG at that high-level ministerial conference. A range of issues relating to democracy, the challenges and threats to democracy various ways to reinvigorate democracy – though both existing regional and international frameworks and new initiatives - were discussed. PNG, through the efforts of Ambassador Paki, was actively involved and engaged in much of the discussions with not only the Conference participations but also in related meetings with Chilean leaders and participating Foreign Ministers, especially from existing democracies and emerging or new democracies.

Ambassador Paki with Chilean President Ricardo Lagos at a dinner during the Third Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies in Santiago, Chile, April 28.

Ambassador Paki with the Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker at the Third Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies.

Ambassador Paki with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the Third Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies, April 28.

Ambassador Paki addresses the Third Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies.

MAY

May 3 - Ambassador Paki attended the inaugural event of the Adopt-a-Country Caucus with former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker as the keynote speaker, which was also attended by several senators and congressmen. The purpose of the Caucus is to build friendships between people of the United States and the peoples of other nations through partnerships and people-to-people diplomacy (as opposed to “official” diplomacy. Members of Congress are given the opportunity through the Caucus to “adopt” a country and engage in diplomacy through humanitarian aid, academic, cultural, and business exchanges and initiatives.

Ambassador Paki with former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker at the Adopt-a-Country Caucus.

Ambassador Paki with Congressman John Kline (R-MN).

May 13 – Ambassador joined Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his party in New York as the Prime Minister was invited to the International Conference on Climate Change, chaired by Professor Jeffrey Sacks, the Special Advisor to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals.

Ambassador Paki joins Prime Minister Rt. Honorable Michael Somare (center) and Professor Jeffrey Sacks at the latter’s residence.

May 25 - Ambassador Paki was also invited to attend The White House for a reception in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Also in attendance were, among others, Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega and Assistant secretary of State for Asian and Pacific Affairs, Christopher Hill, Administrator of US Agency for International Development Andrew S. Natsios. It was celebration to honor the important role Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played in efforts to build a strong and successful America. This year's theme, "Liberty and Freedom for All" honors the sacrifices of Asian/Pacific Americans in the defense of freedom and democracy.

Ambassador Paki with Congressman Faleomavaega (second from left) and members of his staff.

Ambassador Paki with Clare Wolfowitz at a reception in honor of the Indonesian President (several minutes earlier, she had performed a Javanese dance in honor of the visiting Indonesian President).

Ambassador Paki with Ambassador Christopher Hill, the new Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs.

JUNE

June 1-5 - Christian Embassy of Washington, DC and Christian Embassy of Canada invited Ambassador Paki to their Ambassador Tour to Seattle, Washington and British Columbia, Canada. During the tour, the Ambassador had the opportunity to meet and interact with a number of business executives from such companies as Boeing and several companies and organizations involved in services relating to transportation, agriculture, high tech, manufacturing; it was an opportunity to observe firsthand some of the latest innovations in these and other fields. The tour also presented an ideal opportunity for Ambassador Paki to promote business and investment opportunities in PNG.

June 8 - The annual “Pacific Night” event was held at the National Geographic Society Building in Washington D.C. The “Pacific Night” is an annual gathering of all Pacific countries and the U.S. territories in the Pacific, including PNG, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Guam, and American Samoa, among others, to showcase and promote the interests of the Pacific region in Washington DC. In attendance were U.S. Congressmen and Congresswomen, ambassadors from Pacific countries, former and serving U.S. Ambassadors to Pacific countries, and U.S. State Department officials and other Administration officials, as well as friends of the Pacific region, among others.

Admiral Gary Roughead inspects the guard of honor aboard Battleship Missouri at his searing in as Pacific Fleet Commander, July 8.

Outgoing Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Walter Doran and Mrs Doran inspecting the guard of honor.

JULY

July 8 – Admiral Roughead invited Ambassador Paki to his swearing in as Commander of the Pacific Fleet aboard the U.S. Battleship Missouri in Honolulu. Other guests included Governor of Hawaii,. Hon,. Linda Lingle; Senator Akaka, Senator Inouye, among others.

Note: Since the Papua New Guinea Embassy’s last newsletter, numerous requests have been received from both Papua New Guinea (PNG) and around the United States and Canada for an updated newsletter. We have selected the above to give you a glimpse of what this Embassy and the Ambassador, Evan J. Paki, has been involved in since we cannot possibly begin to capture every major engagement.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or criticisms, please email them to the Embassy at info@pngembassy.org or via fax (202) 745-3679.