It has been announced in Paris that the French president, Jacques Chirac, will make a visit to New Caledonia and Australia at a date yet to be set.
According to a report by the AFP news agency, this was announced by one of New Caledonia's MPs in the French parliament, Jacques Lafleur, after talks with Mr Chirac.
Mr Lafleur says such a visit is important for New Caledonia's links with Australia.
He also met the interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, who will visit Noumea later this year and was due to hold talks with Air France about its role in Air Caledonie International.
