PODGORNY GREETED AT AIRPORT BY KING HASSAN II; MOTORCADE TO RABAT.




Initials JDR/VS/CR/SGM



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Background: PRESIDENT NIKOLAI PODGORNY OF THE SOVIET UNION YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) ARRIVED IN MOROCCO TO BEGIN A SIX-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT. IT'S THE SECOND VISIT TO MOROCCO BY A SOVIET LEADER. MR BREZHNEV WENT THERE IN 1961.

HEAVY SECURITY PRECAUTIONS WERE IN EVIDENCE AT THE AIRPORT AND IN RABAT.

PRESIDENT PODGORNY'S JOURNEY RETURNS THE CALL OF KING HASSAN II OF MOROCCO, WHO HAS IN THE SOVIET UNION IN 1966. THE KING'S VISIT RESULTED IN SERIES OF BI-LATERAL ACCORDS FOR TRADE PROMOTIONS AND FOR CO-OPERATION IN OTHER FIELDS.

SOVIET-MOROCCAN TRADE HAS DOUBLED IN VOLUME SINCE 1966 AND EARNINGS FROM MOROCCAN SALES IN THE USSR ARE FINANCING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A POWER STATION, A DAM AND AN IRRIGATION NETWORK. SOVIET TECHNICIANS ARE PROSPECTING FOR LEAD, ZINC AND COBALT ORES IN MOROCCO.