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New Caledonia New Caledonia

the outlying town of Mont Dore. Ambassador Roger-Lacan stressed on 25 July: “New Caledonia
France’s High Commissioner has is French territory and it is the French State which decides on
issued medals to soldiers of the who enters French territory and when and how.”
elite GIGN paramilitary force, Prime Minister of Cook Islands and Forum Chair, Mark
who were involved in armed Brown, said: “New Caledonia is a PIF member and we have
clashes with Kanak protestors at a responsibility to take care of our family in a time of
Saint Louis: during an exchange need. We wish to support the de-escalation of violence and
of gunfire on 10 July, one GIGN promote understanding and dialogue between all parties.
officer shot and killed Rock Our objective is to help all parties resolve this situation as
French High Commissioner to
New Caledonia, Louis Le Franc. ‘Banana’ Wamytan (a relative peacefully and expeditiously as possible.”
Photo: Supplied
of Congress President Roch As Pacific governments met in Suva on 9 August for the
Wamytan). As we go to press, Mont Dore remains cut off Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting (FFMM), President Macron
from the capital, with food, petrol and other supplies being wrote to the Forum Chair and Secretary General, confirming
transported by ferry rather than road. France will now accept a Forum mission. After the meeting,
Brown confirmed that the “troika” of past, present and future
Forum diplomacy Forum Chairs are working to confirm dates, aiming to visit
Even before the explosion of conflict in mid-May, the FLNKS New Caledonia before Tonga hosts the Forum leaders meeting
was reaching out to regional and international organisations in Nuku’alofa between 26-30 August. The current crisis,
for assistance. The independence coalition has long sought however, has exposed a fundamental geopolitical tension
diplomatic support, calling on France to allow independent facing the regional organisation. Since 2016, New Caledonia
monitoring missions into New Caledonia. Last March, a has been a full member of the Forum and the French State
FLNKS statement noted: “France must be reminded of its has long been a Forum Dialogue Partner. But retaining control
responsibilities towards the Kanak people, and it is essential of judicial, police and military powers, Paris has tried to
that the international community actively engage to ensure leverage its role in regional politics through New Caledonia’s
that commitments to transition to independence and self- Forum membership (for example, hosting the South Pacific
governance are respected.” Defence Ministers Meeting in Noumea for the first time in
The first major opportunity for face-to-face dialogue December 2023).
between Pacific leaders, the FLNKS and the Government of Responding to a question from Islands Business on this
New Caledonia came in July, as Japan hosted the tenth Pacific tension, Prime Minister Brown said: “There are some sensitive
Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo. political dimensions that must be taken into account, but
On the sidelines of the Japanese summit, the Melanesian we feel that our sentiments as the Forum firstly, is to try to
Spearhead Group (MSG) issued the Tokyo Statement, calling reduce the incidence of violence that has taken place over
for French action on decolonisation. In strong language, the the last few months, and also to call for dialogue is the way
MSG statement reaffirmed long-standing criticism of the third forward to address the concerns that have been raised. We
referendum on self-determination under the Noumea Accord, reiterate that support as a Pacific Forum: our call for the
which the MSG described as “illegitimate and null and void”. de-escalation of violence, and our call for coming to the table
Following a breakdown of trust between the FLNKS, and continuing dialogue.”
President Macron and key French ministers, the independence For Australia’s Albanese government, which has extended
movement has also called for independent mediators to help military ties with Paris under the Australia-France Road Map,
break the logjam in political status talks between supporters the chickens are coming home to roost. While seeking to
and opponents of independence. engage with New Caledonia on climate and trade as a Forum
However, French diplomats have criticised Pacific politicians member, Canberra has prioritised military operations with
who have questioned French colonial policy, and condemned France in the Indo-Pacific region – a strategic partnership now
journalists (including this correspondent) for misinformation. damaged as French colonial policy adds to regional instability.
Describing self-determination referendums in New Caledonia For many years, Canberra and Wellington have welcomed
as “a purely internal matter”, France’s Ambassador to the France as ‘a Pacific nation’, with New Caledonia serving
Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan chastised New Zealand Foreign as a central pivot for France’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and
Minister Winston Peters for suggesting New Caledonia’s third military deployments in the Pacific. But in reality, France is
referendum in December 2021 was “within the letter of the a European colonial power and the United Nations General
law ... but it was not within the spirit of it”. Assembly has long recognised New Caledonia as a non-self-
governing territory, administered by France.
Monitoring mission With the economic, political and cultural consequences of
On 22 July, in response to a formal request from the Mapou three months of conflict in New Caledonia still unresolved,
government, Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders endorsed the crisis will be high on the agenda as Forum leaders meet in
plans for a high-level mission to New Caledonia. In response, the last week of August in Nuku’alofa.

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