Feleti Teo tells the Guardian Tuvaluans fear last year’s treaty may give Australia too much say over the Pacific nation’s security
Tuvalu prime minister Feleti Teo said a controversial security clause in the Falepili Union treaty has led to fears among some in the country that Australia ‘might encroach on Tuvalu’s sovereignty’.Tuvalu prime minister Feleti Teo said a controversial security clause in the Falepili Union treaty has led to fears among some in the country that Australia ‘might encroach on Tuvalu’s sovereignty’.
Teo, a former attorney general who advised the Tuvalu government during the drafting of the deal, says he wished more time had been given to public consultation on the terms of the treaty. As a result, he said his government will soon launch a campaign to better explain the intricacies of the deal to the nation.
Teo said his government would “stop short” of changing any aspects of the deal, while seeking to address sovereignty concerns. “If we will seek direct amendment of the treaty then it’s going to take a long time to be able to bring that into effect,” he said. “If there is a way that stops short of revising the treaty that guarantees the integrity of the sovereignty of Tuvalu, then we will certainly explore those options.
China’s rising influence in the Pacific was further brought into the spotlight during Tuvalu’s recent elections. Tuvalu is one of the few countries in the world that still maintains formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan over China, and
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