France to cause split in forum?

Press, 9 August 1982, Page 1

France to cause split in forum?

From

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Rotorua

A potential division has emerged among the leaders attending the South Pacific Forum at Rotorua over how fast France should be moving to give political independence to New Caledonia. After a day of informal discussions, "the leaders of the South Pacific nations attending were able to agree on most of the issues facing the region.

But two issues have emerged on which there is not agreement yet — the pace at which New’Caledonia should become independent, and the amount of economic support most of the countries will require from Australia and New Zealand. The issues are interrelated, but Australia and New Zealand see them differently. Leading the group seeking rapid independence for New Caledonia is Vanuatu. At the 1981 forum meeting at Vila, in Vanuatu, there was a strong impetus for independence for New Caledonia.

At Vila the forum organised a mission to France, led by the Prime Minister of Fiji. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to discuss the issue with the new French Socialist President, Mr Mitterrand.

The report of that mission is being considered by the forum, and will be considered further over the next few days.

In the meantime, a new proposal is awaiting the attention of the leaders. It is sponsored by the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, the Rev. Walter Lini.

At a press conference last evening, Father Lini declined to give the details of this proposal. He said it was onlyin draft form.

But the position of Vanuatu was that New Caledonia should be given political independence immediately, Father Lini said.

The reforms instituted by France since the. visit of Ratu Mara were a step forward, he said, but they were not enough to satisfy the New Caledonia independence movement. A schedule giving set dates for the transfer of power needed to be included in the reforms France had begun. Vanuatu wanted a quick decolonisation of New tribal Caledonia. Vanuatu itself did not have a timetable, but one was needed.

If the independence of New Caledonia (and Tahiti) were delayed it would add to the confusion of the South Pacific region, Father Lini said. New Caledonia and Tahiti would not belong to the forum, would not be part of South Pacific decisions, and would open an opportunity for outside powers to intervene.

If that happened, the region would see competition between East and West interests. There were people outside the region waiting to intervene.

However, from talking to some of the leaders, it seems that there are few countries as keen as Vanuatu to press ahead. At an earlier press conference, the New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said he did not expect decolonisation to take up as much of the time of the forum as at Vila last year. All the countries at the forum accept the desirability for independence in New Caledonia. The question facing them is, how quickly? New Zealand will not be keen to antagonise France over the issue, because of its need to retain French good will for continued access for its sheepmeats and dairyproducts to the E.E.C. Australia, however, is less dependent upon trade with the E.E C. and is also likely to be more involved directly in any deterioration in the political atmosphere of New Caledonia. It is more likely than New Zealand to support Vanuatuan efforts to speed up decolonisation. The other Pacific Island countries are - expected to follow the lead given byRatu Mara in his report. As long as decolonisation seems to be proceeding reasonably quickly, they will not wish to be too aggressive with France. However, intensive lobbying by representatives of the New Caledonian independence movement, already apparent, over the next two days could change that. Still, there are other issues which will interest the island States even more. These include: ® Concern about continued French nuclear testing, which does not strengthen the French position over New Caledonia. ® Concern about the possibility of Japan's dumping nuclear waste in the Pacific. This has been allayed somewhat by a recent Japanese undertaking to reach an understanding with the Pacific States before any dumping occurs. ® Concern about the continued problems of shipping and communications generally in the region. © Concern about trading difficulties and the falls in. commodity prices in the present international recession. Talk on this has only been general so far.

. The economic issue hangs over most of the Pacific .island States, and the case of Tonga was exacerbated by the effects of Hurricane Isaac last summer. Leaders are looking towards New Zealand and Australia to help them out of their economic problems. New Zealand has already ■ announced a $4 million increase in aid to the South Pacific for. 1982-83. But Father Lini will not easily be deflected from his aims of quick independence for New Caledonia. “It will be very difficult for New Zealand to support our stand because New Zealand is far more concerned about economic matters than human rights," he said. While he acknowledged that New Zealand, and others, were trying hard to help New Caledonia to become independent, their relationships with France were much more important than Vanuatu's. i “Vanuatu wants the issue of the decolonisation of New Caledonia to go. to the United Nations," Father Lini said. This had not been discussed formally at the forum, but his feeling was that most of the members of ■ the forum did not want to go that far. The forum - .- will continue today and finish tomorrow afternoon. -