PRESS CONFERENCE; MR. ASSOUAN USHER SPEAKS




Initials PW/V/RM/SC



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Background: IVORY COAST FOREIGN MINISTER ARSENE ASSOUAN USHER SUGGESTED A WORLD CONFERENCE ON APARTHEID, WHEN HE HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN ABIDJAN YESTERDAY. ALL COUNTRIES WHICH MORALLY REPROVE THE SYSTEM, HE SAID, SHOULD SEEK OUT WAYS TO ELIMINATE IT.

MR. ASSOUAN USHER SAID THAT SOUTH AFRICA WAS THE NATION WITH THE POWER IN AFRICA NOW, BUT THERE WAS NO TELLING WHO WOULD HOLD POWER IN TWENTY YEAR'S TIME. ACCORDINGLY, HE SAID, SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD COME TO TERMS WITH THE AFRICANS.

IN OTHER PARTS OF HIS SPEECH, MR. ASSOUAN CRITICISED THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY AND SOME OF ITS METHODS AND SAID THAT IVORY COAST FAVOURED THE WITHDRAWAL OF ISRAELI FORCES FROM TERRITORY OCCUPIED IN LAST JUNE'S WAR. BUT HE SAID HIS COUNTRY HOPED A COMPROMISED COULD BE REACHED BETWEEN THE PARTIES WHICH WOULD ENSURE A LASTING PEACE.

REFERRING TO A MEETING OF WEST AFRICAN HEADS OF STATE IN MONROVIA, LIBERIA, ON 24 APRIL, MR. ASSOUAN USHER SAID THAT IVORY COAST WOULD ATTEND TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROMOTERS OF AN IDEA TO FORM A REGIONAL GROUP OF NATIONS HAD IN MIND.

FINALLY, ON THE OLYMPIC GAMES, MR. ASSOUAN USHER SAID THAT IVORY COAST WOULD ACT "IN THE LIGHT OF THE DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF SPORT IN AFRICA."