different times. The Northern Marianas has a commonwealth status which was developed in the 1980s and was projected and generally considered sufficiently autonomous. But U.S. legislation in subsequent years reversed much of the local control they previously enjoyed. U.S. labour and immigration laws did not apply initially, for example, but now the autonomous powers in these areas are being transferred to the U.S. government as a result of unilateral action by the U.S. Congress and supported by the courts of the administering powers. CAR But aren't commonwealths like the Marianas and Puerto Rico more autonomous than the US territories? CGC Well, it was first perceived that way, certainly for Puerto Rico when its commonwealth arrangement was created in 1952. At the time, the U.S. was able to convince the U.N. that Puerto Rico was sufficiently autonomous to be removed from the U.N. list of non self-governing territories by resolution in 1953. The later Northern Marianas commonwealth covenant in the 1980s provided even more autonomy than that granted to Puerto Rico . In the end, however, the U.S. Congress exerted its authority. The Northern Marianas Government filed a case in the U.S. court in Washington, D.C. contesting U.S. authority to unilaterally apply its on immigration and labour - but the ruling upheld the U.S. federal power. CAR It seems that the commonwealth arrangement is somewhat limited in terms of its autonomy. CGC Let us say that it has developed quite interestingly. CAR But if self-government in this commonwealth status is  questionable,