The President of the New Caledonian Congress Roch Wamytan says the French government stopped a visit by Fiji's interim leader to New Caledonia last month because of opposition from the European Union.
Mr Wamytan says in Paris earlier this month he lobbied for Commodore Frank Bainimarama's visit as chair of the Melanesian Spearhead Group monitoring New Caledonia's decolonisation.
Mr Wamytan says he has tried to explain the Commodore's aims for Fiji on visits to both Paris and Canberra, and more recently to New Zealand's Foreign Minister who has been in Noumea.
"I, myself, as a Melanesian, I try to explain to them that, I think that we have to understand what's happening in Fiji and to be confident in the capacity of the Prime Minister of Fiji to achieve his aim."
