The political dialogue between loyalists and separatists resumed Friday, October 30 in New Caledonia, under the leadership of the Minister of Overseas Territories Sébastien Lecornu, while the second referendum on independence of October 4 had put the nerves alive.
"I wanted to give the dialogue a chance and when I saw that it was working, I did not wish that logistical contingencies could end it,"
Sébastien Lecornu told local radio RRB, explaining why he had decided on Thursday to 'add two more days to his visit.
To read also: New Caledonia: how to explain the independence push?
The minister went to isolate himself for nearly ten hours Thursday on an island where the state has a residence with ten of the main loyalist and separatist leaders, five from each family, to restore a political dialogue that has broken down for more than two years.
“Together, we have defined a method.
(...)
We must manage to have a dialogue plan that is both public and private in which we move forward on the effects of yes and the effects of no
(at independence, Editor's note)
.
We must remove the fundamental ambiguities
, ”he said.
"Six useful months"
On October 4, as part of the decolonization process of the Nouméa Accord (1998), the Caledonians for the second time answered no to the question:
"Do you want New Caledonia to achieve full sovereignty and become independent? ”
But the gap between the two camps has narrowed significantly compared to the first vote of November 4, 2018, generating a palpable climate of tension and concern.
The non-separatists fell by more than three points to 53.3% while the separatists rose from 43.3% to 46.7%.
To read also: Guillaume Tabard: "In New Caledonia, the trap of the third referendum"
Although the content of the exchanges, which were held in a
“dignified and respectful atmosphere”
, was not revealed, Sébastien Lecornu indicated that he had asked four major questions to his interlocutors: “
What is it to be French? in 2020?
What does it mean to be independent in 2020?
What is sovereignty?
What relationship with France? ”
.
After his departure scheduled for Saturday and given the health situation, the discussions should continue by video-conference during regular meetings.
"We have six useful months
,
"
said Sébastien Lecornu with reference to April 2021, date on which, in accordance with the Nouméa agreement, a third and final referendum on independence can be requested and organized by 2022. The separatists of the FLNKS (Socialist Kanak National Liberation Front) are in favor of it, while the loyalists would like to avoid it.
