AIRCRAFT TAXIING; PRESIDENT TITO DOWN STEPS TO BE GREETED BY PRES. BOUMEDIENNE, SHAKING HANDS WITH OFFICIALS AND INSPECTING GUARD OF HONOUR, WALKING PAST SPECTATORS THROWING ROSES.




Initials CG/V/PW/SGM



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Background: PRESIDENT TITO OF YUGOSLAVIA ARRIVED IN ALGERIA TODAY (WEDNESDAY) WITH HIS WIFE FOR A FOUR-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT. HE WAS GREETED AT ALGIERS AIRPORT BY PRESIDENT BOUMEDIENNE AND SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM THE ALGERIAN GOVERNMENT.

AFTER HIS ARRIVAL TODAY, PRESIDENT TITO AND HIS WIFE MADE A COURTESY CALL ON THE ALGERIAN PRESIDENT. TOMORROW, OFFICIAL TALKS ARE DUE TO START, AT WHICH THE 77-YEAR-OLD YUGOSLAVIAN LEADER WILL DISCUSS THE POLICY OF NON-ALIGNMENT ADOPTED BY MANY OF THE WORLD'S SMALLER NATIONS - A CAUSE PRESIDENT TITO HAS CHAMPIONED FOR MANY YEARS.

THE TWO PRESIDENTS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO DISCUSS WAYS AND MEANS TO REINFORCE YUGOSLAV-ALGERIAN RELATIONS, AND ALSO THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE MIDDLE EAST, THE MEDITERRANEAN, AFRICA AND EUROPE.

BEFORE MEETING PRESIDENT BOUMEDIENNE AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE TODAY, PRESIDENT TITO WENT TO THE EL ALIA CEMETERY IN ALGIERS TO LAY A WREATH ON THE TOMB OF INDEPENDENCE FIGHTERS KILLED IN ACTION AGAINST THE FRENCH.