28 Apr 2010

Palau senate asks President to offer Angaur as alternative US military base

9:15 pm on 28 April 2010

Palau's Senate has adopted a resolution asking President Johnson Toribiong to offer the state of Angaur as an alternative location for the US Futenma Airbase in Okinawa, Japan.

Resolution 8-53 states that under the Compact of Free Association, the US military has the option to use lands in Palau.

This comes amid speculation that US plans to shift over 8000 marines from Japan to Guam could be affected by the Japanese government's decision to review the 2006 pact under which the US is relocating troops currently on Okinawa.

Palau senators have noted that two Japanese lawmakers recently visited Tinian in the CNMI which is now being considered by Japan as a likely relocation site for Futenma

The senators said Angaur was used by the U.S. military during World War II.

A similar move was made by Palau's senate in 2003 to offer the republic as the key regional military base for the US.