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PORT MORESBY – U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires, Tom Weinz, on behalf of the people of the United States of America, thanked the people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) for their assistance in helping the U.S. Joint Prisoners of War-Missing in Action Accounting Command (JPAC) recover U.S. Service Members lost as a result of the operations conducted during the Second World War. The remains of some of the U.S. Service Members are now on their way back to their families in the United States. Representatives from the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF), National Museum & Art Gallery, JPAC Team, Australian Defence Force in PNG, media and U.S. Embassy attended the “Repatriation Ceremony” held today at the Murray Barracks Chapel.

The JPAC team, accompanied by staff from the National Museum & Art Gallery and PNGDF, conducted recovery and investigative operations in Vunakauer, Kokopo, Kaudaulung and Gazelle District in East New Britain Province and an investigative team was sent to Madang, Morobe and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The team also worked closely with Local Level Governments (LLG), District and Provincial Authorities to ensure full understanding of the mission. Without the close mutual support and assistance provided by the PNG Government, JPAC operations could not have succeeded.

JPAC Commander Admiral Donna Crisp, visited Port Moresby early this month, expressed her gratitude to the people of Papua New Guinea for being caretakers of 185 Americans who lost their lives during the war and continue to be caretakers for more than 1,200 individuals whose remains are yet to be found.

The mission of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command is to account for all unaccounted Americans from past wars. No case is ever closed until a determination has been made of what happened to the unaccounted Americans. JPAC’s mission is strictly humanitarian and team members are held to the highest standard of conduct and respect for the laws and cultural differences of their host countries. JPAC encourages anyone with information relating to an American loss to contact them directly or through the U.S. Embassy. For more information visit http://www.jpac.pacom.mil/

PORT MORESBY - Mr. Morea Veratau, Director of Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa (AEMEA) Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs, returned to Port Moresby on May 7, after attending the “Symposium on East Asia Security” (SEAS). The three-week program was sponsored by the United States government and included participants from Australia, Cambodia, China, South Korea, Japan, Marshall Islands, Philippines, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.

The SEAS 2008 objectives were to reinforce multilateral theater security cooperation and support for counter-terrorism activities, and to build on and expand the multilateral network of regional security specialists founded on the personal interactions and relationships development during the SEAS experience.

The intensive three-week program focused on regional security, U.S. security policies and operations. It began at the United States Pacific Command (PACOM) headquarters in Honolulu, and included discussion of regional security concerns from the participants. The symposium then moved overseas to exchange views with civilian government officials and military forces engaged in regional security affairs with a special thematic focus on the rise of China and India as regional and global actors. The program also examined issues related to current and future security concerns for countries in the East Asia Region. The participants also visited country capitals and other selected cities in China and India.

The United States Embassy is proud to have nominated Mr. Veratau for this program. Colonel Joseph Fabila, PNG Defense Force attended a similar program in 2007. The Symposium on East Asia Security (SEAS) was initiated in 1986 and is jointly funded by the U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. Department of State.