France will be cut out of regional leaders' final discussions on New Caledonia at the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.
The situation in crisis-hit New Caledonia will top the agenda when leaders, including Australia's Anthony Albanese and New Zealand's Chris Luxon, gather in Tonga next week for the Forum's annual summit.
Noumea has been the scene of deadly riots in recent months after a rebellion by the pro-independence Kanak population against voting reforms planned by France.