The French Polynesian president, Oscar Temaru, wants France to help him in his bid to join the leaders' retreat at this week's Pacific Islands Forum in Cairns.
Mr Temaru disclosed this on arrival in Tahiti after returning from a month-long stay in Paris where he sought medical care.
Walter Zweifel reports.
"The leaders' retreat offers an opportunity for private discussions once the formal summit is concluded. Mr Temaru says although French Polynesia has only become an associate Forum member, it's not normal that he is excluded from the retreat. He says the French President's Office has now written to the Forum secretariat in Suva. This comes after his earlier letter, soliciting Forum support for Tahiti's decolonisation, went unanswered."
