Anti-independence politicians in New Caledonia have downplayed the possibility of the United Nations mediating between France and the pro-independence Caledonian Union.
This comes after last week's call by the Caledonian Union for the UN to help overcome an impasse over the make-up of the electoral rolls for any possible independence referendum.
A politician of the anti-independence Caledonia Together Party, Philippe Dunoyer, says while some mediation might be possible, it certainly won't be by the UN, the French state and the Caledonian Union.
Gael Yanno, who is the president of the territory's Congress, has told Noumea's daily newspaper that a UN mediation mission is unimaginable as France is a democratic and sovereign country.
The Caledonian Union boycotted talks about the Noumea Accord in Paris nearly two weeks ago because of concerns about the rolls, likening the flaws in them to electoral fraud.
A week after the boycott, a Caledonian Union delegation secured a meeting with the French president, which Mr Yanno has described as shocking because it has given the impression of there being another discussion group.
