NOUMEA - Residents of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to remain part of France in a third referendum that was boyc
NOUMEA - Residents of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted overwhelmingly on Sunday to remain part of France in a third referendum that was boyc
Residents of the Pacific territory of New Caledonia yesterday voted overwhelmingly to remain part of France in a third referendum that was boycotted by pro-independence groups, reports said.
Police reinforcements have been sent to the territory known as “the pebble,” which is of strategic importance to France and is part of a wider tussle for influence in the Pacific between Western countries and China.
With all ballots counted, 96.49 percent were against independence, while only 3.51 percent were in favor, with a mere 43.9 percent turnout, results from the New Caledonia High Commission showed.
The archipelago of about 185,000 voters, 2,000km east