France on Saturday announced a “historic” accord with New Caledonia in which the overseas territory, rocked by deadly separatist violence last year, would remain French but be declared a new state.
President Emmanuel Macron had called for talks to break a deadlock between forces loyal to France and those wanting independence, asking New Caledonian elected officials, as well as political, economic and civil society leaders to gather near Paris to hammer out a constitutional framework for the territory.
After 10 days of talks, the parties agreed that a “State of New Caledonia” should be created.
The archipelago is to retain “a status within France, with Caledonians who will remain French”, said Nicolas Metzdorf, an anti-independence deputy.