Proclamation 6726—Placing Into Full Force and Effect the Compact of Free Association With the Republic of Palau

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Since July 18, 1947, the United States has administered the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands ("Trust Territory"), which has included the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau.

On November 3, 1986, a Covenant between the United States

and the Northern Mariana Islands came into force. This Covenant

established the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as

a self-governing Commonwealth in political union with and under

the sovereignty of the United States.

On October 21, 1986, in the case of the Republic of the

Marshall Islands, and on November 3, 1986, in the case of the

Federated States of Micronesia, Compacts of Free Association

with the United States became effective. Under the Compacts,

the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the

Marshall Islands became self-governing sovereign states, in free

association with the United States. Following the changes in

political status of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall

Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia, the Trusteeship

Agreement ceased to be applicable to those entities and only

Palau remained as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

On January 10, 1986, the Government of the United States

and the Government of Palau concluded a Compact of Free

Association similar to those that the United States entered into

with the Republic of the Marshall Islands and with the Federated

States of Micronesia. As in those instances, it was specified

that the Compact with Palau would come into effect upon

(1) mutual agreement between the Government of the

United States, acting in fulfillment of its responsibilities

as Administering Authority of the Trust Territory of the

Pacific Islands, and the Government of Palau; (2) the approval

of the Compact by the two Governments, in accordance with their

constitutional processes; and (3) the approval of the Compact by

plebiscite in Palau.

In Palau the Compact has been approved by the Government

in accordance with its constitutional processes and by a

United Nations-observed plebiscite on November 9, 1993, a

sovereign act of self-determination. In the United States the

Compact was approved by Public Law 99–658 of November 14, 1986,

and Public Law 101–219 of December 12, 1989.

On May 25, 1994, the Trusteeship Council of the

United Nations concluded that the Government of the

United States had satisfactorily discharged its obligations

as the Administering Authority under the terms of the

Trusteeship Agreement and that the people of Palau had freely

exercised their right to self-determination and considered

that it was appropriate for the Trusteeship Agreement to be

terminated. The Council asked the United States to consult

with the Government of Palau and to agree on a date, on or

about October 1, 1994, for entry into force of their new status

agreement.

On July 15, 1994, the Government of the United States and

the Government of the Republic of Palau agreed, pursuant to

section 411 of the Compact of Free Association, that as between

the United States and the Republic of Palau, the effective date

of the Compact shall be October 1, 1994.

As of this day, September 27, 1994, the United States has

fulfilled its obligations under the Trusteeship Agreement with

respect to the Republic of Palau. On October 1, 1994, the

Compact will enter into force between the United States and the

Republic of Palau, and Palau will thereafter be self-governing

and no longer subject to the Trusteeship. In taking these

actions, the United States is implementing the freely expressed

wishes of the people of Palau.

Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of

the United States of America, by the authority vested in me

by the Constitution and laws of the United States, including

sections 101 and 102 of the Joint Resolution to approve the

"Compact of Free Association" between the United States and

the Government of Palau, and for other purposes, approved on

November 14, 1986 (Public Law 99–658), and section 101 of the

Joint Resolution to authorize entry into force of the Compact

of Free Association between the United States and the Government

of Palau, and for other purposes, approved on December 12, 1989

(Public Law 101–219), and pursuant to section 1002 of the

Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana

Islands in Political Union with the United States of America,

and consistent with sections 101 and 102 of the Joint Resolution

to approve the "Compact of Free Association" and for other

purposes, approved on January 14, 1986 (Public Law 99–239),

do hereby find, declare, and proclaim as follows:

Section 1. I determine that the Trusteeship Agreement for

the Pacific Islands will be no longer in effect with respect to

the Republic of Palau as of October 1, 1994, at one minute past

one o'clock p.m. local time in Palau. This constitutes the

determination referred to in section 1002 of the Covenant with

the Northern Mariana Islands (Public Law 94–241).

Sec. 2. The Compact of Free Association with the Republic

of Palau will be in full force and effect as of October 1, 1994,

at one minute past one o'clock p.m. local time in Palau.

Sec. 3. I am gratified that the people of the Republic

of Palau, after 47 years of Trusteeship, have freely chosen

to establish a relationship of Free Association with the

United States.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this

twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of our Lord

nineteen hundred and ninety-four, and of the Independence of

the United States of America the two hundred and nineteenth.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON