1.
TS MOURNERS CARRY WREATHS
0.06

2.
MS WOMEN MOURNERS
0.13

3.
MLS MOURNERS PASS CAMERA
0.20

4.
MTS MOURNERS AT ROAD SIDE
0.23

5.
MCS MOURNERS CARRY BIG WREATH
0.26

6.
MS MOURNERS CARRY FLAG
0.30

7.
MS PORTRAIT OF THOREZ CARRIED IN PROCESSION
0.34

8.
MLS PROCESSION
0.39

9.
MLS HEARSE PASSES CAMERA
0.56

10.
MCS MADAME THOREZ
1.00

11.
MLS HEARSE ENTERS CEMETERY
1.10

12.
MS PHOTOGRAPHERS
1.12

13.
MLS COFFIN TAKEN OUT OF HEARSE
1.22

14.
MS PHOTOGRAPHERS
1.24

15.
MS COFFIN ON STAND
1.28

16.
CS MADAME THOREZ
1.32

17.
MS MOURNERS PAST COFFIN
1.35

18.
MS SOUSLOV WALKS PAST CAMERA
1.42

19.
MLS COFFIN ON STAND
1.45

20.
MS SOUSLOV SPEAKS
1.49

21.
LS MADAME THOREZ AND OTHERS LISTEN
1.52

22.
TS CEREMONY
1.56



Initials JRG/S/BHH/PN



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FRANCE'S VETERAN COMMUNIST LEADER MAURICE THOREZ WAS BURIED IN PARIS - AT THE PERE LACHAISE CEMETERY - TONIGHT (THURSDAY) AFTER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE HAD WALKED IN HIS FUNERAL PROCESSION. ONLY HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY AND TOP OFFICIALS OF THE FRENCH COMMUNIST PARTY ATTENDED. THE INTERMENT FOLLOWED A DAY OF TRIBUTE TO THE MAN WHO LED THE PARTY FOR 34 YEARS AS ITS SECRETARY-GENERAL.

FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF AFTER THE END OF THE OFFICIAL TRIBUTES, WHEN THE COFFIN HAD BEEN TAKEN INTO THE CEMETERY ITSELF, MOURNERS FILED PAST IN THE HOT SULTRY NIGHT.

A GUEST PLATFORM HAD BEEN SET UP AT THE CEMETERY WHERE MR. SUSLOV THE SOVIET PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE SECRETARY PAID TRIBUTE TO M. THOREZ. HE SPOKE IN RUSSIAN AND SAID M. THOREZ'S FOREMOST CONCERN HAD BEEN THE COHESION OF THE WORLD COMMUNIST MOVEMENT.

MR. THOREZ WAS HONOURED BY DELEGATIONS FROM EVERY RECOGNISED EUROPEAN COMMUNIST COUNTRY... DELEGATIONS FROM POLAND AND BULGARIA, OTHERS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA, HUNGARY, YUGOSLAVIA AND RUMANIA.... DELEGATIONS OF THE COMMUNIST PARTIES OF WESTERN AND NEUTRAL COUNTRIES.

M. THOREZ DIED SUDDENLY OF A HEART ATTACK LAST SATURDAY, AGED 64 ABOARD A SOVIET LINEAR BOUND FOR A HOLIDAY ON THE BLACK SEA AND HIS BODY WAS FLOWN HOME.

MINERS FROM HIS HOME TOWN OF LENS HEADED THE PROCESSION FROM PARTY HEADQUARTERS IN CENTRAL PARIS TO THE CEMETERY IN THE EAST END. TRAFFIC WAS BARRED ALONG THE THREE-MILE ROUTE. BEHIND, STRETCHING FOR HALF A MILE, CAME THOUSANDS OF MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH BUNCHES OF RED FLOWERS AND WREATHS. PRESIDENT DE GAULLE HAS SENT PERSONAL CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY. "FOR MY PART" HE SAID "I DO NOT FORGET THAT AT A DECISIVE MOMENT FOR FRANCE, HE CONTRIBUTED, AT MY CALL TO THE MAINTENANCE OF NATIONAL UNITY."
M. THOREZ WAS MINISTER OF STATE WITHOUT PORTFOLIO IN GENERAL DE GAULLE'S SECOND GOVERNMENT IN 1945 AND 1946, AND HE HAD CO-OPERATED WITH DE GAULLE IN HIS CAMPAIGN TO RESTORE FRANCE'S SHATTERED ECONOMY AFTER THE WAR.

HIS DEATH IS NOT EXPECTED TO RESULT IN ANY SUDDEN CHANGES IN THE PARTY'S POLICIES. THE CONTROL OF THE PARTY PASSED INTO THE HANDS OF HIS CHIEF LIEUTENANT, M. WALDECK ROCHET, EARLIER THIS YEAR.