18 Jan 2010

French Polynesia public prosecutor questions claims by opposition leader

9:22 am on 18 January 2010

The public prosecutor in French Polynesia has dismissed repeated claims by the opposition's Oscar Temaru this month that the investigation into a 2002 atoll sale will see serious charges laid against the leaders of the current government.

Jose Thorel has told a Tahiti newspaper that Mr Temaru appears to have the gift of being a visionary, saying the judiciary's timetable is not dictated by politics.

Mr Temaru has said he will lodge a no confidence motion once the prosecutor has tabled the findings of the probe into the Anuanuraro atoll sale.

This relates to the purchase of the uninhabited atoll by the then government of Gaston Flosse, which included the current president andvice president.

The atoll was bought from the territorys leading pearl producer allegedly for five times its value.

Mr Temaru's comments about his political rivals over the atoll affair has led to them warning him of legal action.