France rejects UN involvement in Polynesia self-determination talks

During a session of the UN's 4th Decolonisation Committee in New York, the French delegation rejected any UN participation in discussions about French Polynesia's political status. Within minutes of the meeting's start, Jay Dharmadhikari, deputy to France's permanent representative, declared that France will not permit the UN to intervene or to organise a self-determination referendum. The refusal applies to all UN missions, despite appeals from both independence supporters and loyalists.

France's position has remained unchanged since the territory was re-added to the UN list of non-autonomous regions in 2013. The announcement closed the brief window for dialogue that the Polynesian delegation had hoped to open.