Five Micronesian nations suspended on Saturday breakaway plans from a crucial Pacific Islands political bloc as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the region.
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau "have agreed to temporarily rescind their withdrawal" from the Pacific Islands Forum, the FSM foreign ministry said in a statement.
The five territories announced a year ago they were quitting the group after their nominee lost the vote for a new forum secretary general, said AFP.
They said the majority decision by the 18-nation body to elect former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna had overridden an informal agreement that the position would be filled by Micronesia and had caused an irreparable rift.
However, in a statement the Micronesian leaders said they had discussed "specific substantive reforms of the Pacific Island Forum" and had given the forum until June for the reforms to materialize.
The announcement came as Blinken arrived in Fiji in a visit intended to highlight Washington's interest in the region where China has stepped up efforts to build footholds.
The Pacific Islands Forum was formed in 1971 to enhance the economic and social well-being of its 18 South Pacific islands nations which both the United States and China view as being in strategic locations.
