Courtesy Call on President Mori by Konan City Mayor and his Delegation

Palikir, Pohnpei (Dept. of Foreign Affairs).  The Mayor of Konan City, the Honorable Motoshi Hori, headed a 19 member goodwill mission comprising of officials and private citizens to the FSM from 3-6 February 2014. The delegation visited Pohnpei to further strengthen the people to people relations (Kizuna) between FSM and Konan City. The visit was part of the 25^th Anniversary of relations between the FSM and Japan which was celebrated in November of last year by the FSM Embassy in Tokyo. For background information, the establishment of the friendly relations between FSM and Konan City began during the Aichi International Hometown Interchange Hospitality Project through the World EXPO 2005 in Aichi Prefecture which former President Joseph J. Urusemal had attended. Mayor Motoshi Hori reciprocated the visit in 2006 where he met former President Urusemal and former Vice President Redley Killion. During that visit, both sides affirmed their desire to further strengthen their friendship in promoting kizuna for mutual benefits.A series of activities and exchanges at all levels followed inclusive of government officials and private citizens, youth and students. Konan City donated passenger buses to Pohnpei and Chuuk State, garbage trucks to Kosrae State. Sport equipments were also donated to the FSM.

 

During Mayor Hori’s call on President Mori, he greeted the President and thanked him for receiving him and his delegation. The Mayor touched on the special relationship between the FSM and Konan city and many activities between the two since the Aichi Expo in 2005 including the exchange students from COM-FSM to Konan, high level official visits to Japan and the 25^th Anniversary celebration in November of last year which he attended. He continued by wishing Konan City and FSM to grow its relations for mutual benefits.

 

President Mori reciprocated by welcoming back Mayor Hori and his delegation on behalf of the FSM Government and its people. He commented Mayor Hori for always having strength and good spirit and credited his good nature to the excellent relationship and support that he maintained with the people of Konan City.  President Mori thanked the Mayor for maintaining and promoting goodwill between the FSM and Konan City making this mutually beneficial relationship a good showcase for the 25^th Anniversary of the Diplomatic Relations between FSM and Japan. He again thanked Mayor Hori for all the assistance from Konan City to the FSM. It is a clear demonstration of the strengthening of our relations.

 

Also present at the courtesy were officials from the FSM Department of Foreign Affairs and FSM Public Information Office.