COTONOU AIRPORT BUILDING; AIRCRAFT TAXIING; ZINSOU OUT OF AIRCRAFT TO BE GREETED; GUARD OF HONOUR INSPECTED BY PRESIDENT; BAND PLAY NATIONAL ANTHEM; RECEPTION LINE.




Initials LD/VS/BOB/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: PRESIDENT EMILE DERLIN ZINSOU OF DAHOMEY, ARRIVED BACK TO COTONOU LAST SATURDAY (MARCH 22) AFTER A MONTH'S TRIP DURING WHICH HE PAID PRIVATE VISITS TO WEST GERMANY, FRANCE AND THE UNITED STATES. HE WAS GREETED AT THE AIRPORT BY THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY, THE PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT, HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SERVICES, THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS AND OTHER CIVILIAN AND MILITARY PERSONALITIES.

THE PRESIDENT, WHO WAS RECEIVED WITH AN ARMY HONOUR GUARD, ANNOUNCED THAT HIS TRIP HAS SERVED THE PURPOSE OF CEMENTING PERSONAL, INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC LINKS WITH THE COUNTRIES HE VISITED. IN THE UNITED STATES, WHERE HE MET PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON AND UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL U THANT, HE SIGNED A FINANCIAL AGREEMENT WITH THE WORLD BANK.

IN WEST GERMANY HE SET THE BASES FOR FUTURE COMMERCIAL INTERCHANGE; AND IN FRANCE, HE HAD PRIVATE TALKS WITH MEMBERS OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT OF THE MINISTER OF FRANCE IN PARTICULAR.

PRESIDENT ZINSOU, IN HIS AIRPORT SPEECH, ADDED: "I PREFERRED TO SPEAK IN THE NAME OF ALL OUR AFRICAN COUNTRIES IN GENERAL - OF DAHOMEY, NATURALLY, I SPOKE OCCASIONALLY IN PARTICULAR. FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS NOT THE PARTICULAR CO-OPERATION BETWEEN ONE OR ANOTHER, BUT IN THE GENERAL SUCCESS OF THIS AFRICAN CO-OPERATION IN WHICH EACH ONE WILL FIND THEIR DUE, IN THE SAME WAY THAT OUR EVOLUTION AND OUR HAPPINESS ARE IN SOLIDARITY."
TO CONCLUDE, PRESIDENT ZINSOU STATED HOW PLEASED HE WAS TO BE HOME AND THAT HIS "MESSAGE" WAS AS ALWAYS: "WE MUST WORK, WORK AGAIN, WORK ALWAYS, IN DISCIPLINE AND UNITY. WORK AGAIN."