The president of the National Assembly of France says the relationship between the people of New Caledonia and its institutions has to improve to cope with the challenges ahead.
Claude Bartolone made the comment ot the public broadcaster at the end of an official visit to the territory, during which he paved the way for an extraordinary meeting of New Caledonian leaders with the French prime minister in Paris in a month.
He says all sides are aware of the need to end the deadlock which has arisen over deep disagreements over who should be allowed to vote in the independence referendum due by 2018.
Mr Bartolone says all sides are tasked with figuring out how it will be after the referendum vote has been held so that everybody can help build a common society.
Remembering the victims of the unrest of the 1980s, he said a people without a memory is a people without a future.
Claude Bartolone, president of the French National Assembly Photo: AFP
