Macron to visit troubled New Caledonia

Paris, May 21 (IANS/DPA) French President Emmanuel Macron is set to travel to the French overseas territory of New Caledonia, which has been rocked by serious unrest.

A French government spokeswoman said Macron will leave late on Tuesday for the Pacific archipelago, which lies 1,500 kilometres east of Australia.

France has deployed 2,700 police officers and some military units to New Caledonia in the wake of riots which have killed six people and seen over 200 detained.

A state of emergency is also in effect in the territory, although the situation has improved in recent days, the spokeswoman said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Australia and New Zealand dispatched aeroplanes to bring stranded citizens home from the violence-stricken region.

The protests emerged in response to proposed electoral reforms which would give French nationals the right to vote in provincial elections after ten years of residency in the territory.

The indigenous Kanak population of New Caledonia, which has long campaigned for independence, accused Paris of pushing ahead with the controversial reform without considering strong opposition among the majority of the territory's residents.

The archipelago gained extensive autonomy through the Nouméa Agreement of 1998. Paris is currently trying to conclude a new agreement with political leaders in the territory, which is strategically located in the southern Pacific Ocean.

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