26 Feb 2009

Conflicting claims about French Polynesia's stability

6:49 pm on 26 February 2009

The president of French Polynesia's assembly, Edouard Fritch, says with the formation of a new government last week, political instability is now a thing of the past.

Mr Fritch made the comment in response to the ousted president Gaston Tong Sang's letter to the French president, asking for reforms that includes the election of the territory's president by the people.

Mr Tong Sang had urged Paris to prevent a mass movement mirroring events in Guadeloupe where there has been unrest over high prices.

Paris has called for discussions with overseas territories leaders in the face of the disturbances.

The new French Polynesian president, Oscar Temaru, has flown to Paris, saying the situation in Tahiti is more serious than in Guadeloupe because of the political instability of the past five years.

Thsi month, he became president for the fourth time in less than five years.