16 Jun 2004

Former French Polynesian president accepts election outcome

10:30 am on 16 June 2004

The ousted French Polynesian president, Gaston Flosse, appears to have heeded the call to cooperate with the new administration, by now saying he accepts the election outcome.

Mr Flosse's comments came after yesterday's election of Oscar Temaru as his successor.

Walter Zweifel reports from Papeete

"After filing a series of unsuccessful appeals, Mr Flosse now says he is respecting the decision by the majority in the Assembly. He says that much of the programme laid out by Mr Temaru is straight from his own Tahoeraa Huiraatira party. He says it is extraordinary how Mr Temaru now supports what he voted against before, and he accuses him of misleading the voters by dropping his demands for immediate independence. He also says Mr Temaru had already back-tracked by now spreading out an increase in the minimum wage over five years when it was promised to happen right away."