Pro-independence politicians in French Polynesia have again expressed their disappointment at France boycotting this month's decolonisation discussions at the UN in New York.
The territory, which has been fully French since 1880, was reinscribed on the UN decolonisation list by the UN General Assembly in 2013, which Paris has dismissed as a glaring interference.
Speaking in Tahiti, a senior member of the pro-independence Tavini Huiraatira Antony Geros said it was hard to understand that the French diplomats leave the room to have a smoke every time French Polynesia's case was raised.
Mr Geros said setting aside the French presidential election propaganda, nothing had changed in France's stance since the arrival of Emmanuel Macron.
The Tavini politicians say they expect the UN General Assembly to endorse a resolution confirming the right of the indigenous people to choose their status.
They also raised the legacy of 30 years of French nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific and want France to recognise the indigenous people's right to the territory's natural resources.
Last week in New York, the French Polynesian government said it didn't understand why French Polynesia was back on the list of non-self-governing territories, given its large measure of autonomy.
In 2013, it called for an independence referendum, but France ignored the plea and the French Polynesian territorial assembly resolution to that end.
The Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) of the General Assembly heard statements by representatives of non-self-governing territories and petitioners including French Polynesia. Photo: UN Photo/Amanda Voisard
