The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with the Republic of the Marshall Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Jack Ading, the Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley Simina, and Palau President Surangel Whipps, Jr., in Washington, DC. The Secretary underscored the strong people-to-people ties and shared history that are underpinned by the Compacts of Free Association between the United States and the three countries, collectively known as the Freely Associated States (FAS). The Secretary commended the FAS dignitaries for the progress in the negotiations on Compact-related agreements, which signal a new era in our partnerships and help achieve a secure, free, and open Indo-Pacific.