 Thank you very much, Your Excellency Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Thailand, Ms Ying Lak-Shin-A-Wat. Next, it's the opportunity for the Honourable Leaders from the Member States that participate in this Connect Asia-Pacific Summit 2013 to kindly deliver their statements. First, I would like to invite President Emanuel Manny-Mauri from the Federated States of Micronesia. Please welcome the President from Micronesia, sir. Mr. Chairman, Her Excellency Sinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Dr. Thore, Secretary-General of ITU, Leaders of ITU member countries, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Let me first join Dr. Thore and Prime Minister Sinawatra in expressing our condolences to the victims of the typhoon that hit Philippines just recently, and I wish them fast recovery. I am very pleased to be here to participate in this important summit. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to the ITU for its hard work in planning and convening this summit. I would also like to join the speakers in thanking the government of the Kingdom of Thailand for hosting this summit and for the warm and precious hospitality it has extended to me and my delegation since our arrival. Over 20 years ago, I had my first visit to this beautiful country. I commended the leadership of this country for the tangible improvements which has transformed this country to become one of the fast emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific region. The federated state of Micronesia is a small developing state whose small population is scattered across many small islands, spread over one million square miles in the western and central Pacific Ocean. With this geographical makeup, my country faces formidable challenges in its ongoing nation-building endeavors. I believe ICT can be used to overcome some of these challenges, especially in minimizing the risks of natural disasters, including climate change. This connection I wish to acknowledge with appreciation the various technical and financial assistance extended to my country from the regional and international institutions towards the development of its country partnership strategy. Within this strategy, my country has decided to focus its information, communication, technology initiatives in the following areas. First, support towards the development of a more liberalized telecom market. Second, strengthening and reforming our national telecom corporation. Third, ICT regulatory support for capacity building with establishment of an independent regulatory entity. Fourth, international and domestic connectivity to support investment in new infrastructure to enhance ICT services and narrow the gap where digital divides still exist. And fifth, promote universal access with sustainable programs for the remote and unconnected areas. I would like to join my fellow leaders who are also speaking in this summit this morning in acknowledging the importance of ICT as a technological tool that can be used for the advancement of a country's economic and social development. For a smaller country like mine, ICT can contribute greatly to the efforts of improving the tourism sector of our economy. It can be a catalyst in encouraging foreign direct investment in our tourism industry. However, I am mindful of the cost of putting in place the necessary ICT infrastructures in light of our small economic of scale, limited financial resources and human resource capacity. Until we can find or identify a way forward in addressing these challenges, we can only marvel at the advancement of ICT, which the developed countries are currently enjoying. It is therefore my country's continuing desire to seek the guidance and support of the ITU, including our development partners and friends. With such financial and technical assistance, small and un-countries like mine can also share and realize the benefit of ICT as a tool of improving the delivery of essential government services to our people. It is my, I hope, by all the endorsement of the leader's vision and the communique small and un-countries represented in this summit would make known to the world community our commitment to join the global and regional efforts in bringing broadband connectivity at affordable cost to our people. I am convinced that the outcome of this summit will bring us closer to the objectives and the principles of the charter of the United Nations and the declaration of the World Summit on Information Society. I believe with the leadership role that ITU will continue to play, the application of ICT technology can become affordable and beneficial to smaller small and un-countries like mine. I wish to end my statement by asserting, assuring the leadership of ITU that my country will continue to work with all the members, member countries, finding a way towards the achievement of ITU's mandate, particularly in achieving a broadband connectivity to our people. I believe the digital divide can be narrowed quickly if we commit ourselves to the achievement of the goal of the leader's vision. I ask ITU's assistance and guidance as my country continues its commitment to improve telecom services to my people. I thank you all. Thank you very much Mr. President of the federated states of Micronesia.