A leading member of French Polynesia's ruling To Tatou Aia coalition, Jean-Christophe Bouissou, has criticised the assembly president, Oscar Temaru, for raising the issue of independence during talks with a French junior minister, Yves Jego.
Mr Bouissou issued his statement after Mr Jego left Tahiti and almost a week after the minister met Mr Temaru.
He says Mr Temaru should have stayed clear of what he describes as ideological questions as the independence issue is not a matter to be raised by the assembly president who should be politically neutral.
Mr Bouissou says that is something Mr Temaru can do as leader of a pro-independence party.
Mr Jego dismissed the call for French Polynesia to be put on the list of UN territories to be decolonised, saying it was presented as if it helped the local people get better living conditions .
