The Australia West Papua Association has called on the leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to grant observer status to West Papuans at their upcoming meeting in Vanuatu.

The Association's spokesman Joe Collins says granting the Melanesian people of Indonesia's Papua region observer status would be in accordance with a founding principle of the MSG.

Under the principle of assisting other Melanesian peoples who are not yet free, the Kanak people of New Caledonia were granted MSG observer status several years ago.

Mr Collins says Vanuatu's capital Port Vila has been the focal point for important recent developments in the West Papuan cause and they're confident observer status could be granted this time.

"At the latest meeting of the West Papua National coalition for Liberation in Port Vila at the beginning of April, they did meet the Foreign Minister of Vanuatu and he said that he would raise it at the MSG leaders meeting. And we sort of feel that they will be granted observer status."