The Melanesian Spearhead Group says it was surprising and unexpected that France stopped this weekend's MSG mission to New Caledonia.
The MSG's secretariat's director general, Peter Forau, says the advice against the visit came after MSG diplomats had met in Suva a week ago to finalise the itinerary and agenda for the week-long trip which had been planned for several months.
New Caledonia's pro-independence FLNKS movement said there was not enough time for the French authorities to issue the visas for the ministerial delegation, which was to be led by MSG chair, the Fiji interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
Mr Forau says the deferral has been linked to the outcome of the French National Assembly election nearly two weeks ago.
"We believe there have been some consultations between the chair the French authorities' representative in Suva, and the advice from them was that the environment was not conducive to offer the mission to go in as planned."
The MSG's secretariat's director general, Peter Forau
In the election in New Caledonia, both seats went to the Caledonia Together Party whose leader, Philippe Gomes, opposed Commodore Bainiamarama's planned visit, saying there was no call to host the region's only dictator.
