takeover, says Ambassador

Exodus would follow FLNKS takeover, says Ambassador

New Caledonia’s non- Kanak population would have to pack up and go home if the FLNKS got independence, the French Ambassador to Austra lia claimed.

The French Ambassador, Mr Bernard Follin spoke to the Institute of International Affairs in Canberra about French poli cy for New Caledonia.

Mr Follin said French policy in the South Pacific region had been characterised by “very great continuity” especially in their contribution to the ’’stabil ity of the area” and their ’’con tribution to the development of the states under our sovereignty.

“This continuity means for 200 years an ability to adjust to different and very volatile circumstances, particularly over these last 40 years.

“We have been fairly successful with the Polynesian people and they enjoy a very good status at the moment which is just what they want.

“We have been less success ful with the Melanesians; we’ve been trying for 40 years to find the right status (statute) to have the various components of the population living and working peacefully together.”

Mr Follin criticised the Social ist Government plan for inde pendence in association with France, saying that it was in compatible with the French Constitution.

He said the forthcoming re ferendum for New Caledonia was “a very democratic propo sal because it relies on a very democratic way which is to ask the people what they want”.

The Ambassador said the question to be put to New Caledonia could only be “Do you want to stay with us, or not?” The only question, he said, was whether New Caledo nia was in or out of the French Republic. “We can’t embrace

every possibility”, he said.

“We will take all means to ensure the security and honesty of the situation ... we will send French magistrates to preside over the polling stations we will assure very good security. ”

Referring to criticism of the militarisation of the territory (with a reported 7,800 troops present), Mr Follin said there were fewer troops in the coun try now than in the time of Mr Pisani.

If the choice was to remain in the French Republic then talks could turn to the issues of regionalism and decentralisa tion. The Ambassador said New Caledonia could have the same sort of status as the Cook Islands has with New Zealand.

Mr Follin claimed that the non-Kanak population in New Caledonia would have to pack up and go home if the FLNKS got the sort of independence it was after. He said the restric tions on voting advocated by the FLNKS would mean that only Aborigines could vote in Australia and Indians in America.

On the subject of the break in dialogue between the FLNKS and the Overseas Territories Minister Bernard Pons, Mr Fol lin said: “When it is said that we don’t want to talk with the Kanak people it is false . . . since Mr Tjibaou is aware that he is backed by the General Assem bly of the UN he has no interest in talking to us . . .”

Asked about the threatened FLNKS boycot of the referen dum Mr Follin said France had to talk to representatives of the Kanak people. France could not talk to the FLNKS, thus it had to find other people for dialogue, and this was the reason the independence movement had complained it was being pushed to the margin.

“We have been giving inde pendence to others for 20 years, why can’t we give inde pendence to French Polynesia or New Caledonia? Because they don’t want to be indepen dent”, Mr Follin said, adding that the minority could not im pose its will on the majority.

“What we want is for them (Kanaks) to come up to the same stage as Europeans. Cul turally it’s already been done; there are many who speak perfect French.

“ if we haven’t been able to give independence to New Caledonia it’s because most of them live under the tribal sys tem and don’t have any incen tive to work when they don’t get a profit as you know when a Kanak opens a shop all his relations come . . . Kanaks can’t earn money or profit, they look at the Europeans who are making money.

“It’s very important to have training of Kanak people as part of the economy, but it needs time. There are two genera tions, the older one with tradi tions coming from the ancestors and those who now have to face a new modem situation.

They represent the transitio nal generation. Maybe the new generation will be more at ease”.

Mr Follin pointed out that

France gives SUS4SO million a year to support New Caledonia “a big burden for us”. “It’s a part of France in our history and in our Constitution. We have been working to assimilate them (the Kanaks)”.

The Ambassador said: “New Caledonia is a part of France.

We cannot abandon a part of France. You can’t abandon a part of your family. ”