1.
GV CHAMPS ELYSEES
0.11

2.
SV ZOOM TO CU PRINCESS BOURBOUN-PARMA TALKING TO REPORTER ....
2.35


TRANSCRIPT: SEQ. 2: REPORTER:" MADAME, ON SUNDAY NIGHT YOU HAVE LEFT BIAFRA FROM ULI AIRFIELD. YOU MUST HAVE HAD A TERRIBLE TIME DURING YOUR STAY AT IHIALIA HOSPITAL FOR THE PAST 15 MONTHS. WHAT IS THE SITUATION LIKE NOW?"



PRINCESS CECILE: " I HAVE BEEN 15 MONTHS IN BIAFRA AND THAT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN A PEOPLE WITH EVERYTHING TO FIGHT FOR, HUNGER, COURAGE AND IDEALS. THEY WANTED THEIR COUNTRY TO BE FOR AFRICAN CONTINENT AND FOR THE WHOLE WORLD, A HELP FOR PROGRESS OF HUMANITY, MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL PROGRESS. THE LAST DAYS HAVE BEEN VERY SAD AND I THINK THE SITUATION IS ONE OF THE WORST THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. IT IS ONE OF THE WORST TRAGEDIES. EVERYBODY WANTS TO HELP, BUT WHAT MUST BE DONE, I THINK, ARE THE THREE FOLLOWING POINTS. I SAW GENERAL OJUKWU AND HIS GOVERNMENT A FEW HOURS BEFORE I LEFT. THEY WERE ALL THERE TOGETHER AND THEY WERE VERY GRATEFUL TO GENERAL OJUKWU TO ACCEPT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY TO REPRESENT THEM AS A LAST CHANCE FOR THEIR COUNTRY TO BE SAVED, FOR THE POPULATION NOT TO BE MASSACRED. THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT PROMISED TO DO ITS BEST TO AVOID MASSACRE. I HOPE HE WILL PROVE HIS GOOD FAITH IN LEAVING IMMEDIATELY TONIGHT AT ULI AIRPORT ALL THE OBSERVERS, THE TEAMS OF DOCTORS, NURSES, AND ALL THE PRESS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO THERE ON THE SPOT TO WITNESS AND TO HELP. THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN HELP FOR THE MOMENT AND THAT'S THE OPERATION OF ORDER OF MALTA WANTS TO MEET.



THE SECOND POINT, AS URGENT AS THE FIRST ONE, IS DROPPING OF FOOD BECAUSE ALL BIAFRA IS A CONCENTRATION CAMP NOW. WE MUST DROP FOOD ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE REFUGEE CAMPS, AND THEN I HOPE THAT U.N. WILL SEND A FORCE BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY HOPE TO PROTECT THE POPULATION."



REPORTER: "THANK YOU."




Initials AJC/V/BOB/PS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: PRINCESS CECILE OF BOURBON-PARMA, WHO RETURNED TO PARIS ON MONDAY FROM BIAFRA, HAS CALLED FOR AN URGENT AIRDROP OF FOOD TO THE REFUGEES. THE PRINCESS DESCRIBED THE SITUATION IN BIAFRA AS ONE OF THE WORST THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

PRINCESS CECILE HAS SPENT THE PAST 15 MONTHS IN BIAFRA, HELPING THE RELIEF WORK OF THE ORDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF MALTA. SHE WAS FLOWN OUT FROM ULI ON SUNDAY.

THE PRINCESS WARNED OF THE DANGER OF A MASSACRE AND SAID A UNITED NATIONS FORCE WAS NEEDED TO PROTECT THE POPULATION. SHE CALLED ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SHOW ITS GOOD FAITH BY ALLOWING OBSERVERS, MEDICAL TEAMS AND NEWSMEN INTO ULI AIRPORT.

PRINCESS CECILE SAID SHE SAW GENERAL OJUKWU SHORTLY BEFORE SHE LEFT BIAFRA. SHE SAID HIS GOVERNMENT WERE GRATEFUL THAT HE HAD DECIDED TO LEAVE AND REPRESENT THEM IN A MISSION TO SAVE THE COUNTRY.