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Analysis Analysis

of partnership’ which ‘requires that all issues affecting Islands (1965) and Niue (1974) were reached through the
the two countries should be resolved on a cooperative very different route of accommodating UN General Assembly
and consultative basis’. Yet it also gave the Cook Islands pressures for decolonisation. They had no similar strategic
government ‘the capacity to enter treaties and other denial components.
international obligations in its own right, with governments Canberra security boffins therefore chide New Zealand for
and regional or international organisations’. giving away its passports too cheaply. Peters is listening. He
In 2001, Helen Clark insisted that the Cook Islands could not says he wants to ‘formally re-state the mutual responsibilities
join the United Nations (UN) unless it surrendered its people’s and obligations’ and to ‘reset’ the ‘constraints of the free
right to New Zealand citizenship. Likewise, it was a December association model’ with the Cook Islands.
2024 row over whether the Cook Islands could issue its own That may not prove easy, unless accompanied by a
passports that provoked the latest spat with Wellington. convincing threat of termination which is unlikely to be
Without that December flare up, the February agreements forthcoming, not least because it would kick the door wide
with China would have attracted far less attention, as with open for China.
those in 2014 and 2018. The Cook Islands is even more constrained from issuing an
The 1970s and 2000s statements about what free ultimatum to New Zealand to allow it greater foreign policy
association entails occurred in a much more benign strategic freedoms, such as issuing passports or joining the UN. Its
era. More recently, Australia has been reconfiguring its constitution requires a two-thirds majority in a referendum
bilateral relationships with the Pacific Island states to deny for any change in sovereign status.
access to any third state (read: China). So the best bet is that little will change, at least until
The Falepili Union Agreement, which came into force in either the Cook Islands loses its appetite for Chinese aid
August 2024, provides that ‘Tuvalu will mutually agree with or Beijing tires of dishing out funds to attract Pacific client
Australia any partnership, arrangement or engagement with states. The presently recession-afflicted and cash-strapped
any other State or entity on security and defence-related New Zealand government is unlikely to be able to replicate
matters in Tuvalu’. Canberra’s costly Pacific deals.

Four months later, Canberra secured another such accord
which provided that ‘Nauru shall mutually agree with Australia Jon Fraenkel is a Professor of Comparative Politics at Victoria
any partnership, arrangement or engagement with any University of Wellington.
other State or entity on matters relating to Nauru’s security, TRADE MARK CAUTIONARY NOTICE
including maritime security, defence, policing, border
protection, and cyber security sectors, and Nauru’s critical IN
infrastructure concerning banking and telecommunications’. TRADE MARK CAUTIONARY NOTICE
MICRONESIA
Easily the most coveted country in commercial competition IN MICRONESIA
for Melanesia’s natural resources is Papua New Guinea. In KENVUE INC., a Delaware corporation, of 1 Kenvue Way, Summit,
KENVUE INC., a Delaware corporation, of 1 Kenvue Way, Summit, New Jersey 07901, United
February, Canberra and Port Moresby jointly announced New Jersey 07901, United States of America, does hereby provide
States of America, does hereby provide notice that it claims proprietorship of the trade mark
negotiations towards a defence treaty, with the deal notice that it claims proprietorship of the trade mark
sweetened by an earlier A$600 million arrangement to
establish a PNG team in the Australian national rugby league. AVEENO
These modern Pacific strategic denial agreements resemble
those forged by the United States in Micronesia in the in relation to:
in relation to:
aftermath of the Pacific War. Then, the US was able to obtain Non-medicated skin care preparations, namely, skin and facial
lotions and moisturizers, skin and facial cleansers, foaming bath
UN Security Council agreement that post-war trusteeship preparations, facial masks, anti-wrinkle creams, body scrubs, body
Non-medicated skin care preparations, namely, skin and facial lotions and moisturizers,
included a legitimate right to exclude potential future wash and body soap, skin cleansing wipes and pads, skin toners,
skin and facial cleansers, foaming bath preparations, facial masks,
enemies. Those arrangements survived the transition to self- oatmeal bath treatment preparations to soothe and relieve irritated anti-wrinkle creams,
skin, shave gels and creams, after-shave gel and aftershave lotions,
body scrubs, body wash and body soap, skin cleansing wipes and pads, skin toners,
government in the ‘compacts of free association’ signed with lip balms, and sunscreen preparations; hair care preparations,
the Marshall Islands (1982), Federated States of Micronesia namely, shampoos, dry shampoos, conditioners; essential oils for
oatmeal bath treatment preparations to soothe and relieve irritated skin, shave gels
(1982/1983) and Palau (1994), which were recently renewed aromatherapy use; aromatherapy products, namely, non-medicated
and creams, after-shave gel and aftershave lotions, lip balms, and sunscreen
skin creams, cleansers, powders, and bath products with essential
for a third time under the Biden administration. oils for use in aromatherapy; incense; scented body lotions; air
preparations; hair care preparations, namely, shampoos, dry shampoos, conditioners;
Elsewhere too, the United States has sought to preclude fragrance reed diffusers; medicated skin care products; anti-itch
essential oils for aromatherapy use; aromatherapy products, namely, non-medicated
other Pacific Rim powers from accessing American-built creams; vitamin and mineral supplements; aromatherapy oils for
alleviating stress.
skin creams, cleansers, powders, and bath products with essential oils for use in
Pacific infrastructure. In a treaty signed with Kiribati in 1979,
for example, the US surrendered its territorial claims to KENVUE INC. cautions that any use of the trade mark or any
aromatherapy; incense; scented body lotions; air fragrance reed diffusers; medicated
confusingly similar trade mark in relation to any of these goods or
14 islands in the Phoenix and Line Islands groups, including similar goods, would be seen as infringement of their rights and that
skin care products; anti-itch creams; vitamin and mineral supplements; aromatherapy
Kanton (or Canton) and Kiritimati (Christmas Island), but they will take such action deemed necessary to protect those rights.
oils for alleviating stress.
made this conditional upon prohibition of use by ‘third parties KENVUE INC. can be contacted care of their address for service:
for military purposes except with the agreement of the AJ Park, Level 22, Aon Centre, 1 Willis Street, Wellington 6011,
Government of the United States’. KENVUE INC. cautions that any use of the trade mark or any confusingly similar trade mark in
New Zealand, mail@ajpark.com
The New Zealand free association pacts with the Cook
relation to any of these goods or similar goods, would be seen as infringement of their rights
and that they will take such action deemed necessary to protect those rights.
Islands Business, March 2025 13
KENVUE INC. can be contacted care of their address for service:
AJ Park, Level 22, Aon Centre, 1 Willis Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand,
mail@ajpark.com

cautionary notice for aveeno.docx