Collapse of the 902 Talks

The US delegation to the 902 Consultation Talks apparently came with a preconceived agenda and offered the Northern Marianas its eleven-year transition period even without legal authority or a back-up plan with full assessment of the economic impact such a grand scheme would have on the deepening economic crisis here.

There was hope when we heard Mr. Edward Cohen, the president’s special representative, offer some room for discussion over rhetoric in the news media. There was greater hope for productive talks when he uttered that he was here to listen to the sentiments of the collective sectors of the Northern Marianas Community. It seems, however, that even as he tried to listen, he heard no one else but himself.

The Cohen delegation itself confirmed its obvious mission: Offer a federal takeover via an eleven-year transition period or else. Obviously, the offer was rejected by the NMI delegation and the US contingent left town with its “or else” luggage. It returns to Washington to work on the reintroduction of a federal takeover legislation and would attempt to attach this provision on any measure going through pertinent committees.

This agenda brings up another question: Who would monitor and guard the interests of the Northern Marianas in committees or chambers of the US Congress? This is a rather urgent question that local leadership must answer forthwith. There’s hardly any room to vacillate if in fact it matters to local leadership that the rights of the indigenous people to self-government is monitored and guarded on a full-time basis.

Now, it is most fitting that local leadership will to continue implement major reforms on issues that have brought about sharp divisions betwen their (US) special interest constituency over this group of US Citizens situated in the fringe or outside mainstream America, the only group of US Citizens who are not represented in the most powerful chambers on earth.

We too agree that these reforms must be implemented with or without the very mechanism established since 1975 to grant each side the opportunity to discuss and come to terms on issues of disagreement. The employment of bully pulpit, sanctions, threats and mandates defies the very purpose of the 902 consultation talks. It’s supposed to be a two way street, but the US delegation wasn’t willing to listen as Cohen offered. Thus, the collapse of the recently concluded 902 consultation talks.