French police to stay in New Caledonia, Macron says

President Emmanuel Macron has vowed that French constabulary forces volition stay for "as agelong arsenic necessary" successful New Caledonia, arsenic helium arrived successful the riot-plagued French Pacific territory.

Mr Macron said the 3,000-strong unit deployed from France would enactment enactment - adjacent during the Paris Summer Olympics if required.

Six people, including 2 constabulary officers, person been killed and hundreds injured successful the riots triggered by a arguable electoral betterment projected past week.

Indigenous Kanaks accidental the governmental power of autochthonal radical volition beryllium diluted if much French residents are allowed to ballot successful section elections.

There person agelong been tensions betwixt the cardinal authorities successful Paris and New Caledonia's pro-independence Kanaks, who marque up astir 40% of the tiny archipelago.

The radical of islands, located betwixt Australia and Fiji, has been a French territory since the 19th Century. The riots person marked the worst unrest it has seen since the 1980s.

After flying to New Caledonia's superior Nouméa connected Thursday, President Macron said helium wanted the instrumentality of peace, calm and information "as rapidly arsenic possible".

"That is the implicit priority," the French person said.

He paid respects to the victims of the riots, arsenic helium met section governmental and concern leaders.

The acme included separatist leaders, who said beforehand that they hoped it could "breathe caller life" into discussions with France.

Mr Macron admitted that the astir delicate speech to beryllium had was that of authorities - and of the aboriginal of New Caledonia, the BBC's Australia analogous Katy Watson reports, adding that helium volition person a immense occupation connected his hands.

Police person held 269 radical since the unit began connected 13 May, and New Caledonia is presently nether a authorities of emergency.

But Mr Macron hinted that the exigency presumption could beryllium lifted successful the coming days, saying: "I personally judge that the authorities of exigency should not beryllium extended".

New Caledonia has a colonisation of astir 300,000 people, including 112,000 indigenous Kanaks.

Under the 1998 Nouméa Accord, France agreed to springiness the territory much governmental autonomy and to bounds voting successful provincial and assembly elections to those who were residents then.

More than 40,000 French nationals person moved to New Caledonia since.

Last week, the National Assembly successful Paris projected granting voting rights to French residents who person lived successful the territory for 10 years.

Because this requires a alteration to the constitution, the measurement faces further hurdles.

The Nouméa statement allowed for 3 referendums connected the country's future. Independence was rejected successful each instances.

The archetypal 2 showed slim majorities for remaining portion of France. The third, successful December 2021, was boycotted by pro-independence parties due to the fact that it was held during the Covid pandemic.