1.
GV Flags flying (2 shots)
0.10

2.
SV M. Auguste Denise reviews troops
0.18

3.
SV Dancers
0.24

4.
SCU M. Denise meets guests
0.32

5.
SV European diplomats applaud
0.37

6.
SV M. Denise signs document
0.40

7.
SV Crowd applauds
0.45

8.
SV M. Calais signs document
0.48

9.
GV Crowd applauds
0.51

10.
SV M. Denise trowels cement into stone
1.01

11.
SV Guard of honour
1.05

12.
SCU M. Calais puts cement on stone
1.12

13.
SV ZOOM IN Stone
1.20



Initials BB/1430 GR/PN/BB/1545



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In the Abidjan suburb of Cocody-les-deux-Plateaux on Thursday (29 March), Ivory coast Minister of State, M. Auguste Denise, representing President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, laid the foundation stone of the Ivory Coast's new National Administration School.

The school has been operating from an old Abidjan site since 1962, an will begin teaching its 600 pupils in the new building in 1974. Local newspapers headlined Thursday's stone-laying ceremony, saying that the new school will form the Ivory coast's future administrators in the best possible conditions.

The new buildings and facilities will be paid for by a gift of 241 million CFA france (about 340,000 pounds sterling) which has been donated by the European Development Fund with the help of European Economic Community member-countries. The ceremony was attended by M. Calais of the Development Fund, and European ambassadors.

SYNOPSIS: In Abidjan on Thursday, the Ivory Coast's national colours were hoisted over the site of the country's new National Administration School. Ivory Coast Minister of State, Monsieur Auguste Denise, was to initiate the building project by laying a foundation stone...and massed folk-dancing teams provided a colourful background as the Minister, representing President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, welcomed guests attending the ceremony. The ambassadors of the United States and Canada were present, but most of the guests were diplomats representing member-countries of the European Economic Community.

The building project was financed by the European Development Fund. First, M. Denise, then fund representative, M. Calais, signed documents acknowledging receipt of the Europeans' 340-thousand pounds.

The came the stone-laying ceremony itself. In the name of his president, the Ivory Coast Minister of State applied the traditional trowel-full of cement, burying the signed document in the building's first stone.

The new administration School will be finished in nineteen-seventy-four. Then the School's students -- new working in a temporary building nearby -- will study in their new environment to be their country's future leaders.