KAUNDA ARRIVING; CROWDS; MOTORCADE; KAUNDA RECEIVING FREEDOM OF CITY; BANQUET; SHERMARKE SPEAKING; KAUNDA SPEAKING.




Initials GEM/VS/JH/PF



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THERE WAS A ROUSING POPULAR WELCOME WAITING IN MOGADISHU FOR PRESIDENT KENNETH KAUNDA OF ZAMBIA WHEN HE ARRIVED IN THE SOMALI CAPITAL AT THE START OF A FOUR-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TURNED OUT TO WATCH THE OFFICIAL WELCOME AT THE AIRPORT FOR PRESIDENT KAUNDA AND HIS PARTY OF 41, AMONG THEM HIS WIFE AND ELDEST SON. THERE WAS MORE ENTHUSIASTIC CHEERING FROM THE CROWDS THAT LINED THE ROUTE THE PARTY TOOK INTO THE CAPITAL.....ONE BANNER READ "WELCOME HOME KAUNDA".

IT WAS THE ZAMBIAN LEADER'S MEDIATION THAT BROUGHT SOMALIA AND KENYA TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THE BORDER DISPUTE THAT HAS DIVIDED THEM FOR YEARS. IN FACT, THE KENYAN MINISTER OF DEFENCE MR. NJOROGE MUNGAI AND A DELEGATION OF OFFICIALS ARRIVED UNEXPECTEDLY IN MOGADISHU JUST BEFORE PRESIDENT KAUNDA AND HIS PARTY. THEY ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE TALKS WITH THE ZAMBIAN LEADER AND SOMALI LEADERS.

PRESIDENT KAUNDA'S FIRST OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT WAS A CEREMONY AT WHICH HE RECEIVED THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF MOGADISHU. LATER HE WAS THE GUEST OF HONOUR AT A STATE BANQUET GIVEN BY PRESIDENT SHERMARKE OF SOMALIA.

IN HIS SPEECH PRESIDENT SHERMARKE ASSURED HIS GUEST OF SOMALIA'S WILLINGNESS TO SETTLE THE DISPUTE WITH KENYA. GIVEN GOODWILL AND REALISM ON BOTH SIDES, SAID PRESIDENT SHERMARKE, THERE WAS NO REASON WHY A LASTING SOLUTION SHOULD NOT BE REACHED.

SPEAKING IN REPLY, PRESIDENT KAUNDA STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF EMERGENT NATIONS REMAINING NON-ALIGNED. AND HE ATTACHED RACIALISM, SAYING THAT SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE WHITE THEY HAD A GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO DOMINATE PEOPLE OF ANOTHER COLOUR.