The Matignon Agreements were agreements signed in the Hôtel Matignon by Jean-Marie Tjibaou and Jacques Lafleur on 26 June 1988 between loyalists who wanted to keep New Caledonia as a part of the French Republic, and separatists, who wanted independence.
The agreements provided amnesty for those involved in the Ouvéa cave hostage taking incident of 1988 and prohibuted all proceedings in regard to the deaths of four gendarmes and 19 members of the independentist Kanaks.
[2] A majority voters – 80% – voted for New Caledonian residents to determine whether or not to institute self-determination.
The territory would be fully autonomous, except for the fields of the military, security, the judiciary and finance, which would remain competencies of France.
The accord was approved by 72% of voters in referendum in New Caledonia that was held on 8 November.