The West Papua National Coalition for Liberation says the decision by the Melanesian Spearhead Group to retain its application for MSG membership is a major boost to efforts to bring the West Papua issue into the United Nations.
The WPNCL has released a statement on the decision by MSG leaders at their summit last week to approve a roadmap on which the application can be considered.
At the Noumea summit, MSG leaders officially addressed the sensitive issue of human rights violations in Indonesia's Papua region for the first time.
The MSG agreed to send a delegation to Indonesia this year to discuss West Papua, paving the way for a subsequent decision on the membership bid.
The WPNCL's Andy Ayamiseba says movement on the issue at MSG level is significant.
"It is a clear indication that the case of West Papua is out of Indonesia's hands. It is no longer a domestic issue or internal matter but it's not become a regional issue, an international issue."