Paris talks defuse tension in troubled French Polynesia

PARIS - The first day of talks to stabilise French Polynesia secured agreement to avoid deepening the territory's political crisis and forge "reconciliation" among its divided citizens.

The aim of the accord, announced in Paris yesterday, is to foster a good atmosphere before haggling on whether to hold new elections in French Polynesia.

The meetings, chaired by the French Minister for Overseas Territories, Brigitte Girardin, bring together the leaders of the six parties in the Polynesian assembly, including the two presidential contenders Gaston Flosse, an anti-independence veteran and a close friend of President Jacques Chirac, and the pro-independence Oscar Temaru.

"Given the need for reconciliation and ensuring that work unfolds peacefully, all of the delegations of French Polynesia call for an easing of tensions," a joint statement said. "Maintaining a calm climate is unanimously acknowledged as vital for the normal exercise of democracy."

One source said Temaru might soon offer to move out of the presidential building in Polynesia, which he and his supporters have occupied since his coalition was ousted from office on October 9.

Flosse became president on October 22, but because of the protest, he has had to work in a Ministry of Culture building.

Girardin called the Paris talks after France's State Council scrapped the May 23 election results in a key French Polynesia constituency.

Temaru, 60, head of the Tavini party, won a wafer-thin majority thanks to this constituency, enabling his coalition to cling on to power until two deputies defected to Flosse in October.

He wants long-term independence for Polynesia, in contrast to Flosse, 73, who is nurturing close ties with Paris.

"I believe that everyone is acting in good faith," Temaru said as he entered the meeting.

"We have to get out of the crisis. We can't carry on like this."

Flosse, looking tense, said nothing.

The next step is the tougher question of staging new elections.

Political leaders in Paris and in Papeete, the Polynesian capital, agree that a new election should be for the entire assembly, not just for the Ile du Vent constituency, covering Tahiti and Moorea, which has 37 out of the 57 seats.

The State Council said Ile du Vent voters were illegally pressured in favour of the pro-independence coalition, the Union for Democracy because in the town of Mahina, the polling stations and even the election officials were in blue and white, the movement's colours.

Today, Girardin was to meet separately with Flosse and Temaru, a format that will be repeated tomorrow.

This will be followed by a plenary session on Saturday.