Palau president urges continued dialogue with US despite parliament and council's rejection of asylum proposal

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Koror (Island Times/PacNews) -- President Surangel Whipps Jr said that Palau should maintain dialogue with the United States, despite the country’s congress and Council of Chiefs rejecting a U.S proposal to have Palau serve as a “safe third country” for asylum seekers.

Speaking at a press conference following his recent trip to the U.S, Whipps acknowledged the firm stance of Palau’s leadership but attributed their rejection to the lack of clarity in the U.S proposal. 

“The communication letters from the congress and the council of chiefs…were very clear that what was proposed to us was not acceptable,” he said. “At the end of the day, the U.S was not clear on what it wanted. Our position is we continue dialogue…discussion is always good.”

On June 19, both houses of the Olbiil er a Kelulau, Palau’s congress, sent a joint letter to Whipps advising against proceeding with the plan, citing Palau’s limited capacity and inability to commit to obligations it could not fulfill.

The Council of Chiefs also opposed the proposal, acknowledging the difficulty of turning down a request from the nation’s closest ally while emphasizing Palau’s fragile status as a small island nation.

The U.S has approached several countries to host individuals awaiting asylum claims or whose claims have been abandoned or dismissed. 

Acting as a “safe third country” would mean temporarily protecting asylum seekers who are neither Palauan citizens nor currently seeking asylum in Palau, while their U.S cases are processed.

Under policies like the U.S.-Canada Safe Third Country Agreement, asylum seekers generally must seek protection in the first country they reach, though exceptions exist for minors, family members, valid documents, and public interest considerations. Critics note that such policies externalise borders and limit access to asylum.

Whipps emphasised that continued dialogue allows Palau to protect its interests while leaving the door open to further discussion. “We can never say the door is closed,” he said.