(APIA, Samoa) — The seizure of Samoan passports, extension of the Certificate of Identity (CIs), permit fees, an exchange program with the Attorney General’s office, fiber optic cable, and renewable energy were among the myriad of topics discussed during the closed sessions of the Inter Samoa Talks that ended in Samoa on Friday (Thursday, American Samoa time).

Despite not being allowed entry at most of the Talks sessions, Samoa News was able to obtain the ‘statements of outcome’ for trade issues, tourism, energy and immigration. Samoa News was present at the trade pre-summit, which was the only one open to the media, while the other sessions were conducted behind closed doors. The “statements of outcome” were prepared by the two Samoas recorders present during each session.

IMMIGRATIONS/LEGAL ISSUES

According to the statement of outcome, Samoa has once again asked American Samoa (AS) to extend the validity of their CIs from six-months to 12 months to comply with international travel requirements. This issue was raised in the last talks, however still no noticeable change from AS who has again agreed to look into this.

Samoa has also asked AS to provide a list of all requirements for the processing of travel using CIs in order to comply with American Samoa’s expectations.

According to the statement of outcome, all passengers traveling to AS on Samoan passports have their passports seized at the point of entry (airport/wharf), and the passports are not returned to them until the border officials have sighted the original entry permit from the AS Attorney General’s office. “There have been incidences where passports have been lost, this treatment is unfair and our (Samoa) people made to feel inferior.”

AS has offered to remove its fee on their 14-day entry permit, they would like Samoa to do the same and AS would like to look at removing all other immigration permit related fees between the two Samoas.

MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE

According to the statement of outcome, it was decided at the 2012 talks that there would be an exchange program between the Office of the Attorney General from AS and Samoa. Both AG’s offices are keen to see this develop and have agreed to discuss this further. It’s unclear what this exchange program would entail and how it would progress.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Issues of interest to American Samoa, includes a new fiber optic undersea cable; cheaper call rates between the two Samoas and details of the new fiber optic cable that have yet to be received. “Cheaper call rates between the two Samoas would be an issue between the two telecom providers and would not be something that Samoa would overly intervene in since government privatized the telecom sector.”

ENERGY/UTILITIES/INFRASTRUCTURE

The two Samoas are continuing the research and development of renewable energy options and there is an interest from AS regarding what is being done. According to the statement of outcome, Samoa has an ambitious and challenging plan for renewable, energy development to be 100% renewable by 2018 and Samoa continues to make progress in solar, wind and even gasification. “Samoa is willing to share this information and experience geothermal energy, Samoa would like to know if this study could be extended to include Samoa to find out if geothermal energy is a safe feasible source of electricity for Savai’i.” American Samoa Power Authority is to extend its study into geothermal energy to include Samoa.

TRANSPORT

Samoa Shipping Services expressed concern over the inconvenience experienced in American Samoa, when their vessels have been charted by American Samoa to provide emergency shipping services to Manu’a. “In the spirit of cooperation Samoa Shipping responds as soon as possible by dispatching a vessel then has to wait 24hours for clearance to be granted which is unreasonable given the request for the use of the vessel came from American Samoa in the first place.”

TOURISM

Samoa Tourism Authority met with the American Samoa Visitors Bureau director and identified a number of on-going issues for continued engagement. Leading these were opportunities for joint marketing and information sharing and both sides also recognized that there were opportunities for capacity building and training in the two Samoas where officers from both organizations could participate.

SPORTS

American Samoa is again raising the issue of the Samoa games, which has been a reoccurring topic of the two Samoa talks with no clear outcomes eventuating.

There was no report on the statement of outcome for the joint disaster preparedness.