The heads of seven Polynesian parliaments have arrived in Tahiti at the invitation of the president of French Polynesia's territorial assembly, Jacqui Drollet, who wants to deepen regional links with a two-day conference this week.
Mr Drollet's initiative is aimed at setting up a yearly such meeting, with the inaugural gathering being attended by the Cook Islands, Samoa, Niue, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis and Futuna.
Tokelau is absent and Mr Drollet says New Zealand is not present as initially the meeting is aimed to bring together parliamentary leaders from places comparable in size.
The visiting parliamentary leaders have been met by the president Oscar Temaru who suggested that this type of meeting could be formalised.
