By Lydia Lewis,
France has approved a high-level Pacific “fact-finding mission” to New Caledonia to gather information from all sides involved in the ongoing crisis.
“We are welcoming a mission of the troika for a fact-finding mission in New Caledonia before the [Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting],” the French Ambassador to the Pacific, Véronique Roger-Lacan, told RNZ Pacific in an exclusive interview today.
“I gave a letter to the [PIF] Secretary-General Baron Waqa and Prime Minister Mark Brown, the chair.
“It’s a good idea. It’s important that everyone can assess the situation together with [France].”
She said it was important that dialogue continued.
“We repeat the fact that these riots were conducted by a handful of people who contest democratic, transparent and fair processes, and that the French state has restored security, and is rebuilding and organising the reconstruction [of New Caledonia]. ”
Forum leaders wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron last month, requesting to send a Forum Ministerial Committee to Nouméa to gather information from all sides involved in the ongoing crisis.
The confirmation comes as the Forum foreign ministers are meeting in Suva, ahead of the 53rd PIF Leaders Summit on Tonga at the end of the month.
‘We are family’
Melanesian Spearhead Group chairperson and Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai backs independence for New Caledonia through a democratic process.
“It’s a concern … and we decided to have a mission into New Caledonia to talk to the both sides,” Salwai said.
It has been almost three months since violence broke out in the French territory, killing 10 people, and causing tens of millions of dollars in damage to the economy.
Salwai told RNZ Pacific he had supported the independence of Melanesian countries for a long time.
“It’s not only a [PIF] member and neighbour, but we are family,” Salwai said.
“We are also for a long time Vanuatu support independence of Melanesian countries.
“We’re not going to interfere in the politics in France, but politically and morally, we support the independence of New Caledonia. Of course, it has to go through democratic process like a referendum, they are the ones to decide.”
Pacific leaders want to send a high-level Pacific mission to Nouméa before the end of the month.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
