Careful start for

the month

Careful start for the new broom

■ will receive people, I will go to see, I will do many things.

So said a smiling and confident Fernand Wilbaux, on his arrival in Noumea on May 31, to take up one of the most controversial posts in the South Pacific, that of High Commis sioner to New Caledonia. He has replaced the firm, but un popular, Mr Edgard Pisani, who has returned to France to join the Fabius cabinet as minister for New Caledonian affairs.

Ticklish situations are nothing

new to Wibaux, the 63 year old career diplomat whose last posting was as French ambas sador to Lebanon. His arrival heralded a time of relative calm in New Caledonia and for the first time in many months there appears to be a return to normal life.

One of his first major moves was to drop the nightly curfew which had been in force since January. While making it clear he will reimpose the restriction if necessary, Mr Wibaux has also stated that he is allergic to

such measures, believing they create an unfavorable atmosphere for any positive dialogue, The new High Commissioner has also managed to coax the anti-independence leaders of the territorial assembly to talk with him, something his predecessor could not do. While they remain wary of him, as a representative of the Mitterrand government, the comment generally is that Mr Wibaux appears to be a man who knows how to listen, not just talk.

So far his only run-in with the local leaders has been over a statement made during a visit into the bush, that his main objective in New Caledonia was to prepare the territory for the move to independence. For this he was sharply rebuked by the president of the Territorial Assembly, Mr Dick Ukeiwe, who replied that, indeed, Mr Wibaux was not in the territory to answer a question which only Caledonians could answer, but to apply the laws of the Republic and then with

Dick Ukeiwe ... a first clash with Mr Wibaux.

Jacques Lafleur ... cagey on elections. Drawing by Cagnat.

respect to the local institutions.

Mr Ukeiwe made the com ment shortly after his return from a month-long stay in Paris where, along with R.P.C.R. president, Jacque Lafleur, he put the case against the Fabius Plan for the future of New Caledonia.

The R.P.C.R., which holds the majority in the assembly, still has not decided whether to take part in the upcoming regio nal elections, which are the first stage of the Fabius Plan, and Mr Ukeiwe says there will be no decision made on the question until after a visit by a senate commission from France.

This commission was due to arrive on June 30 for a stay of almost two weeks during which it would take a look at the realities of New Caledonia, and discuss the Fabius Plan with local leaders. On the eve of the commission’s arrival the R.P.C.R. was very definitely keeping its powder dry and its options well open. Their deci sion on the territorial election was not expected to be made public until this month (Aug ust), which is when the elec tions were to have been held.

Now, however, the poll is likely to be later, because it cannot be held until after the Fabius Plan is made law, and that cannot happen until after it has been passed by the French senate, which is ruled by the Opposi tion.

There is also the added dan ger that any delays or attempts to change the Fabius Plan could upset the Kanak Socialist Na tional Liberation Front, the F.L.N.K.S., which has said it does not trust the French gov ernment’s commitment to inde pendence and has warned that any fundamental changes to the Fabius Plan could result in a boycott of the regional elections by the independentists.

The F.L.N.K.S. has also been further strengthening its cause this month with some heavy lobbying of New Caledonia’s regional neighbors. The Inde pendence Front wants the question of the territory’s future raised at the South Pacific Forum, being held in Raroton ga this month (August).

To this end, Mr Yann Uregei, foreign affairs spokesman for the provisional Kanaky govern ment, has been travelling the Pacific rallying support.

The first of his meetings took place in Vanuatu on June 3, with the foreign ministers of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. This meet ing can only be seen as a big success for the F.L.N.K.S., re sulting in a strongly-worded communique which fully sup ported the independence movement and took a big swipe at the French government.

The foreign ministers; 1. Reaffirmed the legitimate right of the Kanak people to independence 2. Questioned the credibility and conviction of the French government’s efforts to bring independence to New Cale donia 3. Declared there was no need for any referendum on the question of independence for the territory, without electoral reform which would guarantee Kanak independence 4. Expressed a strong desire to see the Forum meeting in the Cook Islands address the issue of New Caledonia in a more concrete and positive manner

5. Condemned unequivocal ly the French military build-up in New Caledonia 6. Agreed to inscribe New Caledonia on the United Na tions list of non-self governing countries.

Mr Uregei also visited Austra

lia and New Zealand looking for a similar commitment. Both countries have tentatively sup ported the French govern ment’s plans and are not ex pected to take as strong a position as the island nations.

Sue Williams, in Noumea.

Jean-Marie Tjibaou ... heavy international lobbying by his FLNKS. - Cagnat drawing.