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No Deal For New Caledonia, Talks To Continue Later This Month
Patrick Decloitre, Correspondent French Pacific Desk
After four days of continuous talks with New Caledonia's political forces, French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls has returned to Paris Tuesday, without any deal as yet regarding the French Pacific territory's political future.
As he left Nouméa, Valls told local media the positive point is that just like during his earlier visit which ended on 1 March, all parties of the political landscape, both pro-France and pro-independence, were once again part of the series of round tables.
Since he arrived at the weekend, the crucial talks took place at the French High Commission behind closed doors "to preserve the integrity" of its contents.
Upon leaving New Caledonia, Valls said after the fresh round of talks there was "reasonable optimism".
"I think now, we can advance on the basis of a text which, yes, I admit, has to remain confidential," he said.
"This is a lesson I learnt from Michel Rocard."
Rocard, as a French Prime Minister in 1988, managed to mediate peace talks between pro-France and pro-independence leaders Jacques Lafleur and Jean-Marie Tjibaou.
At the time, Valls, then 26 years old, was a member of Rocard's team, as a young attaché.
The final document at the time, known as the "Matignon-Oudinot Accords" put an end to half a decade of a bloody quasi civil war.
"I have to remain optimistic. There's no other solution. New Caledonia's situation is still extremely difficult. Economically, it is on its knees."
He also said he was "very worried" about New Caledonia's current social situation, almost one year after the deadly riots that caused 14 dead, hundreds of injured and a total damage of some 2.2 billion Euros.
"I see the number of homeless is spiralling, people who are jobless, children who are no longer going to school and others who can no longer afford to pay for the school canteen. And a health system that is on the verge of collapse", he told public broadcaster Nouvelle-Calédonie La Première.
"I'm worried because the fractures are still there. So are the coals. And we all know there's a lot of weapons circulating. (Violence) can start at any time. Each word is carefully weighed", he said.
The four-day talks, which lasted from 29 March to 1 April (2025) are now described at this stage as "discussions in preparation of negotiations" which should lead to "a third sequence" to be held again in Nouméa "starting from 29 April 2025", an official document presented as a "common declaration of the parties involved" stated.
"The objective of this sequence will be to reach a comprehensive agreement on New Caledonia's institutional future", based on the latest draft agreement handed over by Valls on Sunday 30 March 2025.
"Without a political agreement, New Caledonia is heading right into the wall".
Valls described the talks as "frank".
"The fact that they are speaking to each other, are respecting each other and agree to new talks with me from 29 April onwards show there is a genuine will", he commented.
He did not deny there were sometimes "outbursts".
"But we are moving forward".
Hopes for an agreement 'by the end of April'
About future talks and the timeline, Valls said now, after this "decisive step" was taken, a comprehensive political agreement had to be reached "by the end of (April)".
A draft document was handed to all political parties at the weekend, as a basis for future discussions.
Participants have remained elusive as to the contents and the points discussed during the four days.
"Of course, the differences are still there, on many topics: self-determination, transfer of powers from France, citizenship or electoral roll. But I am now convinced an agreement is possible".
Valls said between now and his next trip to New Caledonia, in 28 days, exchanges with his team would be maintained on a remote basis, including via video conference, on specific topics.
Reactions from participants
In very short statements, participants to the talks reacted laconically to the latest round.
Pro-France Les Loyalistes leader and Southern province President Sonia Backès said she had mixed feelings about the lack of a conclusive outcome.
"It was to be expected" because "each one's positions are very far apart".
"But we're moving step by step on a number of things. And we have told each other what needed to be said".
She said she felt there was a "general will to find this agreement and the compromise that will allow New Caledonia to rebuild itself".
Pro-independence figure, on behalf of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), Emmanuel Tjibaou, said the discussions were "cordial and frank, at times passionate".
He acknowledged the "spirit" that prevailed during the four days of debates.
But he stressed that his political block was tied to its commitment to "those who have given us their mandate".
During his four-day visit, Valls also met with representatives of the economic and civil society as well as students.
What are the topics discussed?
The main pillars of those political discussions are the definition of New Caledonia's future links with France, possible future transfer of powers from France to New Caledonia, a future New Caledonian citizenship, and the related question of who is eligible to vote at local elections, governance and a "project" for New Caledonia's society.
On the table is also the general question of New Caledonia's future status in relation to France: from "shared sovereignty" to "full independence" and, in between, a status quo or a "free association", or any other yet-to-be-defined proposal.
On the pro-independence side, the recently-elected President of the Union Calédonienne, Emmanuel Tjibaou, said they want a quick independence, with a "Kanaky Accord" to be signed this year, to be followed by a five-year "transition" period.
On the other side of the political spectrum, outspoken leader and French National Assembly MP Nicolas Metzdorf repeatedly objected to debating New Caledonia's "link" with France, a topic he and his camp consider irrelevant.
Metzdorf's position, followed by a large part of the pro-France camp, is that between 2018 and 2021, three referendums have been held on self-determination and they have all rejected the notion of New Caledonia's independence.
However, the third and latest poll in December 2021 was boycotted by a large part of the pro-independence voters.
The two most prominent pro-France parties, Rassemblement-LR and Les Loyalistes, have also reiterated that they were "holding tight" to their perceived fundamentals.
During future talks, they reject any notion that would fall "outside the framework of the French Republic".
Moderate pro-independence PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party) leader Jean-Pierre Djaïwé said the most pressing issue, in his view, was to deal with the issue of New Caledonia's future relationship with France.
"We cannot envisage this country's future without everyone. We really need to live together and understand each other," Djaïwé told pro-France Radio Rythme Bleu last week.
"But unfortunately, too often, we often live not together, but next to one another.
"Let's work together to bring our country to full sovereignty, in partnership with France."
Another moderate pro-independence party, the Union Progressiste en Mélanésie (UPM) leader Victor Tutugoro told a recent rally that they favoured entering into negotiations for a "shared future" "in partnership with France".
Both PALIKA and UPM, since September 2024, have openly distanced themselves (saying they "do not recognise themselves" in the Union Calédonienne's radical approach) and are no longer taking part in the FLNKS pro-independence political bureau.
New Caledonia should be "more active in its region"
On Tuesday, he paid a visit to the French Naval forces base in Nouméa's Pointe Chaleix, which harbours the vessels used in regular Pacific tours, either for humanitarian assistance or for fishing surveillance patrols.
"I wish for New Caledonia to be more active in its region and all the neighbouring Island States, like Vanuatu. On the military, diplomatic, economic, scientific research levels".
"New Caledonia is not isolated; it is at the heart of the Pacific Ocean, on the Indo-Pacific axis, at the forefront of the planet's future. Where there is an economic (and not only) confrontation between the United States and China. This is about France and the European Union's presence."
"I hope that during my future visits to the region, I will be able to travel to a whole series of countries", he said.
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