The Hilo Principles set the terms for free association and UN-observed plebiscites.

What happened

Former FSM president John Haglelgam says the Hilo Principles let the future Micronesian states run their own foreign affairs while the US kept control of security and defense. In his view this turned free association from a stepping-stone into a path to independence. Armstrong and Hills date the principles to 1978; Haglelgam says 1977, and the sources leave this open.

Why it matters

The principles shaped the Compact of Free Association signed in 1982.