AZIZ AND DUFOUR PAST GUARD OF HONOUR; AZIZ AND DUFOUR SHAKE HANDS WITH VIPS; BAND PLAYING; FLAG CEREMONY; PRESIDENT OF MAURITANIAN VETERANS OFFICE SPEAKING; VICE-PRESIDENT SPEAKING; DUFOUR AND AZIZ SEATED WITH PARTY.




Initials AH/VS/AS/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ARMISTICE IN 1918 WAS COMMEMORATED IN MAURITANIA BY A CEREMONY OUTSIDE THE VETERAN SOLDIERS OFFICE IN THE CAPITAL, NOUAKCHOTT, ON TUESDAY.

AMONG THE VIPS PRESENT FOR THE OCCASION WERE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR SALL AZIZ, WHO IS ALSO INTERIM MINISTER IN CHARGE OF DEFENCE, AND THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO MAURITANIA, M. ADRIEN DUFOUR.

IN ADDITION TO A LARGE REPRESENTATION OF MAURITANIAN VETERANS PRESENT AT THE CEREMONY, THERE WERE ALSO CONTINGENTS OF BOTH MAURITANIAN AND FRENCH MILITARY PERSONNEL. THE VETERANS WERE GREETED BY MINISTERS AZIZ AND AMBASSADOR DUFOUR PRIOR TO A COLOUR CEREMONY AND THE PLAYING OF NATIONAL ANTHEMS.

AN ADDRESS WAS DELIVERED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE MAURITANIAN OFFICE FOR VETERAN SOLDIERS AND WAR VICTIMS, M. KONE SOULEYMANE. IT WAS, HE SAID, A TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT DAY FOR THE VETERANS WHO, 51 YEARS EARLIER, HAD COME TO THE END OF A NIGHTMARE WAR WHICH ENSNARED MILLIONS OF MEN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THOSE WHO HAD SURVIVED FOUR YEARS OF CONFLICT AND PRIVATIONS IN THE MUD OF THE TRENCHES HAD GOOD REASON TO REMEMBER NOVEMBER 11, 1918.