New Caledonia's new members of the French National Assembly have called for comprehensive discussions about the 1998 Noumea Accord before the end of the year.
Philippe Gomes and Sonia Lagarde of the Caledonia Together Party say they are seeking a consensus as the territory is on track for a possible referendum on independence between 2014 and 2018.
Walter Zweifel reports.
"Speaking in Paris, the two anti-independence politicians say the next regular review of the accord should be held soon to take into account New Caledonia's new political situation. With their election win last month, they have dislodged the Rassemblement--UMP as the premier party which was however the signatory of the Noumea Accord. The two politicians have insisted that a new flag should be chosen to express the territory's identity as prescribed by the Accord while the Rassemblement-UMP wants the joint use of the French and Kanak flags. The flag issue has vexed Noumea's political class and brought down the territorial government three times within a month last year until Paris changed the electoral law."
