20 Mar 2006

American Samoa says there will be no formal response over Samoa's criticism of the US

7:38 pm on 20 March 2006

Amercian Samoa's senate president, Lolo Letalu Moliga, says there will be no official response to the Samoan Prime Minister's criticism of a US human rights report.

The US State Department report called Samoa a one party state, raised concerns about human rights, and was critical of the state of prisons and the ways women were treated.

But Samoa's Prime Minister,Tuilaepa Sailele, responded saying the State Department should focus on fixing the U.S's internal problems instead of meddling in the affairs of other countries.

Our correspondent in Pago Pago Monica Miller says while some individual members of the house and senate are calling for an apology there will not be a formal response.

"The senate president recognizes that individual members of the senate can give their views on issues, but as far as an official statement from the senate, he feels there's no need to give a position on this."

Monica Miller.