New Caledonia's pro-independence FLNKS movement says it wants to close its ranks at the weekend Congress preparing the independence referendum later this year.
Photo: RNZI/ Johnny Blades
The FLNKS has been without a president since 2001 because of divisions among the parties making up the movement.
The secretary general of one of the parties, Jean-Louis Koroma of the Caledonian Union, said the goal of attaining full independence requires them to put aside their quarrels.
Mr Koroma said the FLNKS needed to have a strong and unambiguous message to be credible.
He said the Congress had to adopt a strategy to win the referendum which is due before November.
To do that, he said, there needs work to be done with young voters and those who usually abstain.