A breakdown in talks to forge a new political agreement between Noumea and Paris has caused the conservative anti-independence parties in New Caledonia to collectively denounce visiting French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls.

Before the third recent visit to the French Overseas dependency, Valls had hoped preliminary discussions would lead to a new political statute to replace the 1998 Noumea Accord.

But the three-day, the behind closed doors 'political conclave' between all instrumental New Caledonian leaders essentially came to nothing.

Valls left Noumea last week but not before admitting to a failure to get all leaders on board:

"No proposal has been able to gather consensus," he said.

"We must acknowledge that no agreement has been reached, which does not allow us to settle the issue of electoral rolls in order to stabilise New Caledonia."

The controversy over electoral rolls pertains to French metropolitan-born citizens who reside in New Caledonia being allowed to vote in the country's Pacific polls.

Indigenous Kanaks make up more than 40 per cent of the population which overwhelmingly are in favour of voting for independence from France against a smaller number of 'Europeans' and others of French origins born in the Pacific who label themselves Caledonians.

The anti-independence coalition of Les Loyalistes and the Rassemblement-Les Républicains party have been working together during each round of talks to retain the established status quo.

They issued a joint communique which suggested the conservative bloc is prepared to hold out.

"Thanks to the self-sacrifice and unity of The Loyalists and Rassemblement-LR, as well as the support of metropolitan partners, no agreement was signed," the statement read.

Valls had succeeded in keeping all six parliamentary groups from the Congress engaged and kept progress continuing during roundtable talks which were backed by bilateral discussions, culminating in last week's formal negotiations.

Leaders from the two pro-independence delegations are continuing to call for independence and sovereignty for New Caledonia, albeit with a transitional period of 'interdependence' that would involve the sharing of key powers between Paris and Noumea.

Maintaining its call for a clear pathway to independence, the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) delegation said it has "reaffirmed its determination to complete the political task mandated for it, with the objective of Kanaky's accession to full sovereignty and addressing issues that can no longer be avoided".

In contrast, members of the Loyalist bloc and Rassemblement, knowing that the days of a form of colonial rule are well and truly over have been pushing for complete federalism within the French Republic.

New Caledonian citizens already have the power to vote in all of France's elections.

This conservative policy would give more power to the three provincial administrations in the South, North and Loyalty Islands of New Caledonia, and would instead restrict the authority of the central government located in Noumea.

This attempt to give more financial resources and legislative authority to the Southern Province – a bastion of the anti-independence leadership – was essentially seen as a 'partition' of these islands which are largely filled with Europeans who are opposed by the Kanaky pro-independence movement.

To the anger of conservative leaders, Valls also suggested the French state did not support several elements of a federalism model after many Loyalists called into question the Noumea Accord and continued to block progress during discussions.

Angered by Valls' more conciliatory tone in recent months, Loyalists have been opposed to the current negotiating text proposed by France, which outlined a new form of partnership between France and New Caledonia.

Currently, the French state retains control of the "sovereign powers" for overseas departments of defence, police and courts, currency and nearly all aspects of foreign affairs.

Valls is proposing some of these powers could be transferred to a New Caledonian Government and the Congress but delegated back to Paris during a transitional period of interdependence.

The Kanak pro-independence movement has accepted this negotiating draft as an option.

Even though the FLNKS party and smaller groups in the talks including UNI, Eveil Océanien and Calédonie ensemble were open to discussing the proposal, conservative anti-independence leaders rejected the option of some form of a free association between France and New Caledonia altogether.

"We were told about the transfer of sovereign powers, with the possible delegation from New Caledonia to the French state of the exercise of these powers" Rassemblement's spokesperson Virginie Ruffenach said.

"We were told about dual nationality, but then New Caledonia would no longer be a French land."