French Polynesia is taking its first step towards independence after President Moetai Brotherson denounced ongoing colonialism from Paris in a speech at the United Nations.
The Pacific 'overseas collectivity' of France has decided its future "cannot remain solely a French domestic matter".
Mr Brotherson addressed the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation, which was established in 1961 as the UN moved to encourage the end of largely European colonialism.
The president told the UN last week French Polynesia is not asking for "yet another bilateral discussion" within the French institutional framework where Paris sets rules for the non-self-governing territory from 15,000 kilometres away.
"We're not asking France to decide our future; we are asking France to stop preventing us from discussing how we will decide it," he said.
"Our future cannot remain solely a French domestic matter.
"We are asking for a true decolonisation dialogue grounded in international law, involving France, the institutions and political forces of French Polynesia, with the United Nations associated with the process.
"The UN role is to guarantee that our right to self-determination is respected."
He noted French Polynesia is favouring dialogue over litigation, but dialogue cannot mean an indefinite waiting period.
Mr Brotherson said the French territory proposes a "simple program of work" including comprehensive information and education options, a UN-visiting mission to hear locals speak directly, and an agreed pathway towards a democratic act of self-determination.
"Ultimately allowing the Mā'ohi people to express their choice freely through a referendum - no predetermined outcome, no unilateral imposition," he added.
Mr Brotherson has previously reiterated support for a greater political sovereignty model that includes resilient economic development.
He said the Pacific region has witnessed the consequences of leaving tough political questions unresolved for too long after observing recent history of the Kanaky people in New Caledonia.
"It reminds us that dialogue must come before violence, not after it," Mr Brotheson said.
"This is neither a comparison nor a threat - it's a responsibility to preserve peace."
When France's President Emmanuel Macron took office in 2017, French Polynesia had already been inscribed on the UN decolonisation list for four years.
French Polynesia's semi-autonomous territorial government noted very little movement has happened towards decolonisation since.
Jay Dharmadhikari, France's representative at the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation, says Paris favours a constant direct dialogue between state bodies and its Polynesian territory.
"The state is fully committed to and engaged in these," he said.
Mr Dharmadhikari, who said the state is fully committed to dialogue with Papeʻete, the territory's capital, has argued French Polynesia has a "great deal of political autonomy under the French constitution.
France currently retains control over defence, currency, and aspects of foreign policy.
"More specifically, it means that Polynesian people have full autonomy to determine their public policies within the archipelago, within the fields of the economy, education, health, tourism, work and culture," he said.
The Special Committee on Decolonisation's draft resolution on the independence movement of French Polynesia calls on Paris "to initiate a dialogue with the government of French Polynesia in order to facilitate rapid progress towards a fair and effective self-determination process".
