PREAMBLE

PREAMBLE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA Affirming that their Governments and their relationship as Governments are founded upon respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, and that the people of the Federated States of Micronesia have the right to enjoy self-government; and Affirming the common interests of the United States of America and the Federated States of Micronesia in creating and maintaining their close and mutually beneficial relationship through the free and voluntary association of their respective Governments; and Affirming the interest of the Government of the United States in promoting the economic advancement and budgetary self-reliance of the Federated States of Micronesia; and Recognizing that their relationship until the entry into force on November 3, 1986 of the Compact was based upon the International Trusteeship System of the United Nations Charter, and in particular Article 76 of the Charter; and that pursuant to Article 76 of the Charter, the people of the Federated States of Micronesia 117 STAT. 2758 have progressively developed their institutions of self-government, and that in the exercise of their sovereign right to self-determination they, through their freely-expressed wishes, have adopted a Constitution appropriate to their particular circumstances; and Recognizing that the Compact reflected their common desire to terminate the Trusteeship and establish a government-to-government relationship which was in accordance with the new political status based on the freely expressed wishes of the people of the Federated States of Micronesia and appropriate to their particular circumstances; and Recognizing that the people of the Federated States of Micronesia have and retain their sovereignty and their sovereign right to self-determination and the inherent right to adopt and amend their own Constitution and form of government and that the approval of the entry of the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia into the Compact by the people of the Federated States of Micronesia constituted an exercise of their sovereign right to self-determination; and Recognizing the common desire of the people of the United States and the people of the Federated States of Micronesia to maintain their close government-to-government relationship, the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia: NOW, THEREFORE, MUTUALLY AGREE to continue and strengthen their relationship of free association by amending the Compact, which continues to provide a full measure of self-government for the people of the Federated States of Micronesia; and FURTHER AGREE that the relationship of free association derives from and is as set forth in this Compact, as amended, by the Governments of the United States and the Federated States of Micronesia; and that, during such relationship of free association, the respective rights and responsibilities of the Government of the United States and the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia in regard to this relationship of free association derive from and are as set forth in this Compact, as amended.