Urgent talks are expected to be held in Paris between the French government and the president of New Caledonia's northern province, Paul Neaoutyine.
This comes after the impasse over plans to develop a major nickel project in the territory's north, with the French state and Canada's Falconbridge mining company disagreeing about the terms for the project.
In 2003, the French President, Jacques Chirac, said during a visit to the area that the project was a priority for the economic rebalancing of the territory.
A Kanak activist, Jacques Boengkih, says the issue is being revisited.
"We were told that Paul Neaoutyine, the president of the northern province, left urgently for Paris to see the French president and the minister of the economy and the minister of overseas territories about this project."
