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President Emmanuel Macron has vowed that French police forces will remain for “as long as necessary” in New Caledonia, as he arrived in the riot-plagued French Pacific territory.<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Macron said the 3,000-strong force deployed from France would stay put – even during the Paris Summer Olympics if required.<\/p>\n Six people, including two police officers, have been killed and hundreds injured in the riots triggered by a controversial electoral reform proposed last week.<\/p>\n Indigenous Kanaks say the political influence of native people will be diluted if more French residents are allowed to vote in local elections.<\/p>\n There have long been tensions between the central government in Paris and New Caledonia’s pro-independence Kanaks, who make up about 40% of the tiny archipelago.<\/p>\n The group of islands, located between Australia and Fiji, has been a French territory since the 19th Century. The riots have marked the worst unrest it has seen since the 1980s.<\/p>\n After flying to New Caledonia’s capital Noum\u00e9a on Thursday, President Macron said he wanted the return of peace, calm and security “as quickly as possible”.<\/p>\n “That is the absolute priority,” the French leader said.<\/p>\n He paid respects to the victims of the riots, as he met local political and business leaders.<\/p>\n The summit included separatist leaders, who said beforehand that they hoped it could “breathe new life” into discussions with France.<\/p>\n Mr Macron admitted that the most delicate conversation to be had was that of politics – and of the future of New Caledonia, the BBC’s Australia correspondent Katy Watson reports, adding that he will have a huge job on his hands.<\/p>\n Police have held 269 people since the violence began on 13 May, and New Caledonia is currently under a state of emergency.<\/p>\n But Mr Macron hinted that the emergency status could be lifted in the coming days, saying: “I personally believe that the state of emergency should not be extended”.<\/p>\n New Caledonia has a population of about 300,000 people, including 112,000 indigenous Kanaks.<\/p>\n Under the 1998 Noum\u00e9a Accord, France agreed to give the territory more political autonomy and to limit voting in provincial and assembly elections to those who were residents then.<\/p>\n More than 40,000 French nationals have moved to New Caledonia since.<\/p>\n Last week, the National Assembly in Paris proposed granting voting rights to French residents who have lived in the territory for 10 years.<\/p>\n Because this requires a change to the constitution, the measure faces further hurdles.<\/p>\n The Noum\u00e9a agreement allowed for three referendums on the country’s future. Independence was rejected in all instances.<\/p>\n The first two showed slim majorities for remaining part of France. The third, in December 2021, was boycotted by pro-independence parties because it was held during the Covid pandemic.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n