French Polynesia's president Oscar Temaru says any vote on a possible referendum on independence should be run under the control of the United Nations.
Mr Temaru made the comment in a televised debate about the territory's possible re-inscription on the UN decolonisation list.
He says voting should then be restricted to people of Maohi descent or those who've lived in the territory for 40 years.
The pro-autonomy's Gaston Flosse has spoken out against returning the territory to the decolonisation list while saying any assembly resolution on the matter should be put to a public vote.
The French high commissioner said decolonisation was no priority unlike the battle against the economic crisis.
