Alaska’s growing role in the Pacific Rim will be the topic of Gov. Frank H. Murkowski’s keynote address Monday, Sept. 27 when The Council of State Governments holds its 2004 Annual State Trends & Leadership Forum Sept. 24-29 in Anchorage.

More than 1,500 officials and policymakers from all three branches of state governments nationwide are expected to attend the meeting that is being held jointly with the CSG-WEST Annual meeting.

Other plenary sessions will address the future of energy and emerging trends in U.S. and Asia relations.

In addition, there will be sessions on provocative topics such as the impact of term limits on state legislatures, the trends and challenges of NAFTA on its 10th anniversary, revitalizing rural communities, and solutions for controlling health care costs.

The CSG-WEST meeting will offer sessions on the civility, or the lack of it, in legislatures; improving state services while cutting budgets; and challenges Western states face with increasing demand for a dwindling supply of water.

Reporters are welcome to attend these sessions. Registration is required. However, there is no registration fee for media representatives with credentials. There will be a press room on site with fax machines, phones and Internet hook ups.

For a more detailed agenda of the meeting and for online registration, visit our Web site at www.csg.org (keyword: alaska).

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Note: CSG and CSG-WEST events and meetings will take place in the Egan Convention Center, Hotel Captain Cook and the Hilton in Anchorage.