The French Overseas Territories Minsiter, Christian Estrosi, is in New Caledonia for his first official visit since the election of the Sarkozy Government.
He is in Lifou, before going to the Northern Province and then Noumea.
Walter Zweifel reports from Lifou.
"Christian Estrosi is in New Caledonia to meet political leaders for, among other things, discussion on the future of the Noumea Accord. The pro-independence FLNKS movement has decided to boycott the meeting saying there has been too little progress in advancing the roadmap of New Caledonia's possible path to independence. Mr Estrosi is also due to visit the Goro nickel plant in the south of New Caledonia before flying to New Zealand on Saturday for a meeting Prime Minister Helen Clark ahead of next week's Forum in Tonga."
