had bequn in 1969. The people of the Northern Mariana Islands had chosen, in a plebiscite observed by the United Nations in 1975, 2/ to remain closely associated with the United States as a commonwealth. 9. The Federated States of Micronesia had chosen free association in a plebiscite observed by the United Nations in 1983 3/ by a vote of 79 per cent in favour and 21 per cent opposed. The Marshall Islazds had chosen the same status A/ by a vote of 58 per cent in favour and 42 per cent opposed. The compacts of free association had been approved by the Governments of both entities in accordance with their own constitutional processes. 10. In 1984, the President of the United States had introduced the compacts to the United States Congress reauesting their approval. Regrettably, the Congress had not acted upon the compacts that year and on 20 February 1985, the President had resubmitted them; the Administration was hopeful that the Congress would complete action on the compacts at its current session. The President had been unable to submit the compact for Palau because of perceived conflicts between the terms of the compact and the Palau Constitution. Although Palau's voters had voted overwhelmingly for the compact in a plebiscite in 1983, z/ by 62 per cent in favour, and in a referendum in 1984, by 66 per cent, there remained certain obstacles which had to be worked out by the people and Government of Palau. 11. Regarding the United States military presence in Microresia, the representative noted that article 5 of the Trusteeship Agreement g/ unambiguously gave the United States the right to establish military bases in the Territory. Nevertheless, only 13 United States military personnel were in Palau, all of whom belonged to a civil action team involved in non-military construction projects. 
**Analysis**
This text appears to be discussing the political relationships and agreements between the United States and several Pacific island nations, specifically the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau. The text mentions plebiscites, compacts of free association, and the presence of US military personnel, indicating a focus on international relations and governance.

**Category**
International relations, Politics