Two African Heads of State paid short visits to Chad on Tuesday (31 August). President Jean-Bedel Bokassa of the Central African Republic and the Mauritanian President, Moktar Ould Daddah, made short stopovers in Chad's capital, N'djamena, before flying on to other destinations.

SYNOPSIS: Chad's Head of State, General Felix Malloum, led a welcoming party when President Bokassa arrived on Tuesday morning (August 31). President Bokassa was on his way to Libya to attend the seventh anniversary of the revolution which put Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi into power. He told newsmen he wanted to stop in Chad for discussions with General Malloum. He went on to say their talks had centred on reinforcing the strong relations that exist between the two countries. The Central African Republic is one of Chad's main trading partners, and President Bokassa said he had discussed the expansion of that trade.

President Ould Daddah arrived later in the day, and was also greeted by General Malloum. President Ould Daddah was returning to Mauritania after an official visit to Pakistan and Indian. His discussions with the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, concentrated on the recent Non-aligned summit in Sri Lanka. Both leaders agreed the summit's declarations might lead to the creation of a new and fairer world economic order.

President Ould Daddah was believed to have discussed his week-long Indian visit with General Malloum. The two men held their talks at the Presidential Palace near N'djamena before President Ould Daddah continued his journey to Mauritania.