11 Feb 2003

French Polynesian leader Gaston Flosse meets French president Jaques Chirac on autonomy bill

6:47 am on 11 February 2003

French Polynesia's president, Gaston Flosse has held further talks in Paris with French head of state, Jaques Chirac, to further a proposed autonomy bill for the French Pacific territory.

Much of the talks were devoted to a so-called "organic law" which is currently being drafted by legal experts in French Polynesia and France.

The autonomy bill would require an amendment to the French constitution which has to be endorsed at a special gathering of both the French National Assembly and the Senate.

The two men also discussed the issue of a French "Pacific Fund" designed to supply assistance to the region's countries and projects.