29 May 2004

French Polynesia leader makes plea to stay in job

8:19 am on 29 May 2004

The President of French Polynesia, Gaston Flosse, has made a televised last ditch appeal in a bid to retain power.

In his address he made it clear that he's still ready to negotiate with the two MPs, Nicole Bouteau and Philip Schyle, who each have one seat.

Opposition parties have demanded that he resign, to allow them to form a new Government.

These parties have signed a coalition deal and say Mr Flosse must now concede.

But, according to an advisor to Mr Flosse, Michel Paoletti, the president has listened to the voters and is ready to accommodate the demands of the two MPs.

"The country send a message to him, and to the political parties in French Polynesia, and he did hear the message, but he was ready to move towards the aims and endeavours of the other autonomous parties, who were before in the opposition."