Elisabeth Borne estimated on Wednesday, before the independence and non-independence delegations gathered in Matignon, that their presence at the same table was an “important step”, forming the wish for a “political agreement”, on the first day of crucial discussions on the future of the archipelago which are due to end on Friday.
After months of bilateral meetings, four trips to Nouméa by the Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories, Gérald Darmanin, and President Emmanuel Macron, the challenge for the government was to bring together separatists and non-separatists. A first since the December 2021 referendum won by the “no” to independence, but contested by the separatists, who did not participate.
It was done on Wednesday afternoon, a tripartite meeting having started in Beauvau at 5:00 p.m. with all the delegations, under the aegis of Gérald Darmanin, according to a source familiar with the matter.
In addition to the president of the Caledonian government, the separatist Louis Mapou, member of Palika, a component of the FLNKS, were present at Matignon Gilbert Tyuienon and Mickaël Forrest, executives of the main separatist party, the Caledonian Union, officially opposed to the three-way discussions.
Main project, the institutional future of the archipelago, and in particular the exercise of the “right to self-determination”.
“We must (…) guarantee the right to self-determination, but clearly define its future modalities, so as not to pose permanent, short-term uncertainty on the future of New Caledonia”, declared Ms. Thick headed.
Among the other topics discussed, the construction of a Caledonian citizenship and the “new status” of New Caledonia.
“We will be able to debate the transfer of powers”, assured the Prime Minister, who also wishes to “absolutely” bring to a conclusion the project of “unfreezing” the electorate, with a view to the provincial elections in 2024. The right to vote in this ballot is in fact limited to natives and residents who arrived in the territory before 1998 and their descendants.
“A point of balance between the partners seems to be able to be found”, estimated Ms. Borne.
The exchanges also relate to the future of the nickel sector, a weakened economic pillar of the archipelago, even though Europe and France have enormous needs for this metal to manufacture automobile electric batteries.
“The challenge is to make Caledonian nickel a sector of the future (…). The choices of the coming weeks will determine the fate of the three factories in the territory”, underlined the Prime Minister.
If the state will respond “financially”, “we will not sign a blank check”, she added, specifying that “radical changes are necessary”.
“It’s a turning point since the 2021 referendum where we were more in the making, in a form of wait-and-see, each other, to gauge each other,” said Louis Mapou when he left.
“It is a potentially historic day,” said Philippe Dunoyer, Renaissance deputy for New Caledonia, on his arrival.
09/06/2023 19:58:50 – Paris (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
