Chirac: You don’t understand

French prime minister, Mr Jacques Chirac, de fended his government’s policies in New Caledo nia with a mighty sideswipe at his Australian counterpart Bob Hawke.

Shortly before the end of his visit to the territory, Chirac said he was confused and dis appointed by comments by Hawke published in the French press in the week before his voyage to France’s Pacific pos sessions.

Hawke was quoted as saying that he was disappointed that the previous socialist govern ment’s plans for the territory had been dropped and warning of the potential for tragedy. The French prime minister pro duced a letter from Hawke in which the Australian leader said: “Our wish is to help ensure that the problems (in New Caledonia) are resolved peacefully in the interests of all inhabitants of that multi-racial society, ”

Chirac retorted: “This is very different to the public com ments of Mr Hawke. French policy in New Caledonia is not dangerous. We are going to do exactly what he wants us to do.”

The French prime minister

was responding to questions following remarks he made to PlM’s Sue Williams at his offi cial reception the night before at which he had accused Hawke of acting stupidly and indicated his willingness to wel come a change of government in Canberra.

At his press conference, Chir ac also explained that he wanted to reinforce links be tween Australia and France which had existed for a very long time. He similarly wanted to improve France’s standing with other South Pacific nations and stressed that this had been one of the goals of his voyage along with a relaunch of New Caledonia’s battered economy and the start of negotiations on the territory’s status after next year’s scheduled independence referendum.

As a public relations exercise for the French loyalists, his visit was an unmitigated success.

Chirac was everywhere warmly received, although he visited only loyalist strongholds.

For the rest, however, the prime minister would not take long to count his achievements.

Considering his comments on Bob Hawke, he could hardly claim to be nearer his declared goal of improved relations be tween France and Australia.

He did, however, promise a large injection of French money to restart the economy, but a

question mark remains over the territory’s political stability in the coming years and the input of private investment to support state money and ensure long term development.

His talks with the independ ence movement, the FLNKS, did not go well. Both sides emerged from an hour of talks saying they had been “useful.”

However, FLNKS leader, Jean- Marie Tjibaou, admitted that little had been achieved except the formal opening of negotia tions on the formula for the referendum.

France says all those on the electoral roll will take part. The FLNKS insists that only kanaks should vote. The independence movement has warned that if this demand is not met it will boycott the ballot and boycott the political institutions. This could result in a return to the turmoil and violence of 1984- 85.

French prime minister Jacques Chirac (right) with overseas ter ritories minister Bernard Pons in Noumea. Photo: AAP.