It's been described as a major wake up call for the Pacific Islands Forum.
The leaders of five Micronesian countries Nauru, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Palau and The Federated States of Micronesia have signed off on a communique agreeing to initiate the formal process of withdrawing from the Forum.
They say a gentleman's agreement to rotate the Forum's top position among Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia was not honoured when a majority of Forum leaders chose Henry Puna of the Cook Islands over Micronesia's candidate, the Marshalls' top diplomat Gerald Zackios.
National flags in Nauru for the Pacific Islands Forum. Photo: New Zealand Herald/Jason Oxenham
