▁New ▁Guinea ' s ▁Minister ▁for ▁B oug ain ville ▁Affairs ▁Pu ka ▁Tem u ▁said , ▁" the ▁outcome ▁is ▁a ▁cred ible ▁one ," ▁but ▁also ▁stated ▁that ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁should ▁have ▁time ▁to ▁abs orb ▁the ▁result . ▁As ▁the ▁refer endum ▁was ▁non - binding , ▁independence ▁will ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁negoti ated ▁between ▁leaders ▁from ▁B oug ain ville ▁and ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea . ▁The ▁final ▁decision ▁on ▁B oug ain ville ' s ▁status ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Parliament ▁of ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea . ▁Rod ▁Mc Gu irk ▁of ▁Time ▁noted ▁that ▁" the ▁process ▁of ▁becoming ▁a ▁separate ▁nation ▁could ▁take ▁years ▁to ▁achieve ." ▁ ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Gu ine an ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁James ▁Mar ape ▁acknowled ged ▁the ▁refer endum ▁results ▁and ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁only ▁commit ▁his ▁government ▁to ▁develop ▁" a ▁road ▁map ▁that ▁leads ▁to ▁a ▁last ing ▁peace ▁settlement " ▁in ▁consult ation ▁with ▁B oug ain ville ▁authorities . ▁Pap uan ▁New ▁Gu ine an ▁officials ▁were ▁concerned ▁that ▁B oug ain ville an ▁independence ▁would ▁set ▁a ▁preced ent ▁for ▁copy cat ▁se cess ion ▁movements ▁in ▁other ▁provinces ▁such ▁as ▁East ▁New ▁Britain , ▁New ▁Ireland , ▁and ▁Eng a . ▁ ▁Jonathan ▁P ry ke , ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Islands ▁program ▁at ▁the ▁L owy ▁Institute ▁in ▁Sydney , ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁refer endum ' s ▁results ▁were ▁dis adv antage ous ▁for ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁adding ▁that