23 Jun 2006

American Samoa's McDonald's dispute to be discussed in California

1:12 pm on 23 June 2006

The dispute over American Samoa's McDonald's franchise plans to build a restaurant on Utulei Beach Park will be discussed in San Francisco tomorrow.

American Samoa's Governor Togiola Tulafono will meet the Interior Department's deputy assistant secretary, David Cohen, and other officials.

Mr Cohen declined to discuss what the Department of the Interior will tell Togiola.

But he did say that he would give all of the participants a chance to to find creative ways to address the concerns of all parties.

Togiola disagreed with the National Park Service or NPS, an agency within the Department of the Interior, that the area leased to McDonald's is part of Utulei Beach Park.