Ambassador Paki presents his credentials to United State President, the Honorable George W. Bush.
September 8, 2003.


Ambassador Paki (back left) with then Deputy Prime Minister, the Honorable Dr. Allan Marat (front left), Michael Wheeler, PNG’s representative to the London based International Coffee Organization (front right) and then Commerce Secretary, Mr. Jonathan Soten in Cartagena, Columbia.


Ambassador Paki speaks at a reception in honor of Sgt. David S. Rubitsky (Ret) in Milton, Wisconsin


The Ambassador with Mr. Rubitsky


Ambassador Paki with other Pacific diplomats, including Ambassador John Wood of New Zealand (second from left), at the National Geographic Building, venue for the “Pacific Night”, in Washington DC


Ambassador Paki with President Vicente Fox of Mexico, after having presented his credentials in Mexico City


Ambassador Paki (with the honoree Fr. John Wald) speaks at the Chicago occasion honoring Fr. John Wald.

The 87 year old Father John Wald, SVD, OBE, thanking the PNG Government for the OBE medal

Ambassador Paki with Secretary of State, the Honorable Collin L. Powell

2003

September
· Ambassador Paki presents his credentials to His Excellency, President George W. Bush and is formally accredited as the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to the United States of America.

· Ambassador Paki attends the International Coffee Organization (ICO) Conference in Cartagena, Columbia, with then Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. Dr. Allan Marat. (ICO is the official international organization representing the interest of over 73 producing and consuming nations. PNG’s arabica coffee, grown especially in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, is recognized as among the world’s finest coffees.)

· At the General Assembly sessions in New York, Ambassador Paki joins Rt. Honorable Sir Rabbie L. Namaliu, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration and PNG’s UN delegates.


October
· Ambassador Paki attends the Pacific Island Leaders Conference at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Rt. Hon. Sir Rabbie L. Namaliu. Most Pacific Leaders, as well as President George W. Bush and senior U.S. Diplomats also attended it. (Pacific Islands Development Program was formed to assist Leaders of Pacific Island countries advance their collective efforts to achieve and sustain equitable social and economic development consistent with the goals and aspirations of the people of the Pacific Islands nations. For more information on PIDP, visit http://www.eastwestcenter.org).


2004

February
· Ambassador Paki is in Port Moresby as a member of a Government team to work with U.S.-based investment bankers and international lawyers in connection with the Government’s proposed Bond Offering.

· While in PNG, he is also involved in preliminary discussions and negotiations with U.S. diplomats and PNG government officials on the proposed Article 98 bilateral treaty with the United States under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.


March
· With PNG’s Minister for Mineral Resources, Hon. Sam Akoitai and his delegation, Ambassador Paki attend meetings on mining and related issues at the World Bank Headquarters.

· The Ambassador delivers a speech at a reception in honor of Sgt. David S. Rubitsky, MBE (retired) in Milton, Wisconsin. The PNG Government honored Mr. Rubitsky for his heroic actions and bravery in the “Battle of Buna” during World War 2, one of the bloodiest battles in the entire war in the Pacific.

Mr. Rubitsky – who was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II and the PNG Government is the most courageous American soldier ever to have served his country in wartime New Guinea. Sgt. Rubitsky single-handedly killed in battle over 500 Japanese soldiers in the “Battle of Buna” on December 1 and 2, 1942. Read the amazing “David Rubitsky’s story”


April
· Ambassador Paki attends the International Conference on Aviation Safety and Security in Honolulu, Hawaii, with Minister for Civil Aviation, Hon. Don Poyle, MP and others.


May
· As Master of Ceremonies, Ambassador Paki hosts the annual “Pacific Night” event held at the National Geographic Society Building in Washington D.C. (The “Pacific Night” is an annual gathering of all Pacific countries, including PNG, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, and other U.S. territories as well as friends of Pacific countries to showcase and promote the interests of the Pacific region in the United States). Among the guests in attendance is Hon. Eni. F. H. Faleomavaega, a Member of the U.S. Congress from the American Samoa and Ranking Member of the House Committee on International Relations; Assistant Secretary of State for East-Asian and Pacific Affairs, Hon. James A. Kelly; other U.S. Congressmen and Congresswomen, Pacific diplomats, former and serving U.S. Ambassadors to Pacific countries and U.S. State Department officials and other representatives of the U.S. Government.

· Ambassador Paki presents his credentials to His Excellency, President Vicente Fox Quesada of Mexico, in Mexico City, and is concurrently accredited as PNG’s Ambassador to Mexico.


June
· Minister for Foreign Affairs & Immigration, Rt. Hon Sir Rabbie L. Namaliu (with the help of PNG’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Robert Aisi and his staff in New York) makes a compelling case to the UN Security Council for the extension of the Mandate of the UN Observer Mission to Bougainville (UNOMB).

· Ambassador Paki also makes representation to the highest levels of the U.S. Department of State. These combined diplomatic efforts in both Washington DC and New York, along with the firm support of the United States, resulted in a further extension (to December 2004) of the UNOMB’s mandate on Bougainville to enable the PNG Government to undertake crucial functions such as overseeing the ongoing weapon disposal program, finalizing the Bougainville Constitution and preparations for democratic elections on Bougainville later this year, and other work, associated with the Bougainville Peace Process.


July
· Ambassador Paki interacts with Papua New Guinean and American citizens at a “4 July” gathering in Indiana.


August
· On behalf of the Her Excellency, Queen Elizabeth II, Ambassador Paki presents the OBE medal to Fr. John Wald, SVD, in Chicago, in honor of his distinguished services to education in PNG, a career that spanned 56 years in the Highlands and Sepik regions of PNG.