2 May 2012

New Caledonia politician says 2014 will bring independence

3:05 pm on 2 May 2012

The leader of New Caledonia's Labour Party has told a May Day rally in Noumea that in 2014 there will be independence from France.

Louis Kotra Uregei has told the nearly 2,000 people at the rally that there will be no more waiting after the 1988 Matignon Accords and the 1998 Noumea Accord.

The march involved mainly supporters of the Kanak USTKE union whose leaders called for a plan to help young unemployed people into work.

The Noumea Accord provides for a possible referendum on self-determination between 2014 and 2018.

The Rassemblement-UMP has called for a vote as soon as possible to remove the independence question from the agenda.