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In Paris, 2,000 separatist sympathizers marched outside Premier Laurent Fabius' office, chanting "Mitterrand killer!" Jacques Chirac, the mayor of Paris and leader of the rightist Rally for the Republic party, called for the suspension of the Pisani plan. Mitterrand, however, remained firmly committed to the proposal.
The French President's surprise visit was viewed as an attempt to bolster his popularity at home before local elections in March and next year's parliamentary ballot. "Mitterrand is trying to disengage himself from overseas torments," said one government official.
By week's end New Caledonians were enjoying an uneasy peace. The nightly curfew had been pushed back from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. In Noumea, restaurants and hotels were virtually empty. Before boarding his plane for the 12,000-mile trip back to Paris, Mitterrand spoke optimistically of his twelve-hour visit. "The threads which were feared to have been cut are tied again," he said. "The dialogue continues."