Marshall Islands follows Palau, FSM in initiating Forum withdrawal

The Marshall Islands has launched the process for officially ending its membership in the Pacific Islands Forum.

The country's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Casten Nemra says the cabinet approved the withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum last Thursday.

The move by the Marshall Islands follows similar actions by Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia over the past week.

Radio NZ reports the five Micronesian presidents, including those from Kiribati and Nauru, met on the 8th of this month and agreed on the withdrawal.

They are disappointed that a gentleman's agreement to rotate the Forum's top position among Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia was not honoured when a majority of Forum leaders chose Henry Puna of the Cook Islands.

[Source: RNZ]