The three main political leaders in French Polynesia are due to meet today for a third time in less than a month in a bid to break a political deadlock.
The opposition's Gaston Flosse and Oscar Temaru have met again ahead of today's scheduled encounter with President Gaston Tong Sang, whose majority in the assembly was lost a month ago when one of his backers decided to pull out of his coalition.
This has left the ruling To Tatou Aia coalition with 28 seats, which is the same level of support the opposition has.
The 2009 budget wasn't passed by the end of December and should the assembly fail to agree on a document by the end of March, the territory's running will revert to the French high commissioner.
There has been a call for fresh elections but there has been no support for the idea in France.
Last year, France organised an early general election in its bid to boost political stability but the government formed after the poll was ousted only weeks later when two assembly members switched their political allegiance.
