France is giving more autonomy to the South Pacific territory of New Caledonia. But a wide-ranging agreement stops short of granting it independence.
French President Emmanuel Macron calls the agreement ″historic.'' It still needs final approval in New Caledonia, an archipelago located 750 miles east of Australia. The accord may face a vote by New Caledonians in February.
The proposal would create a “state of Caledonia″ in the French Republic — something that would be written into the French Constitution. It would also establish a “Caledonian nationality″ alongside the French nationality, according to excerpts viewed by The Associated Press.
It was reached after 10 days of negotiations, with representatives of the central government and those on both sides of the independence question.
The talks followed deadly rioting last year, prompted by proposed changes to electoral rules that pro-independence groups said would marginalize Indigenous voters.
Participants stressed the importance of rehabilitating and diversifying New Caledonia’s economy, which depends heavily on nickel mining.
France colonized the Pacific archipelago in the 1850s, and it became an overseas territory after World War II. French citizenship was granted to all Indigenous Kanaks in 1957.
