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CU Poster of Balbin PAN TO supporters entering hall
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MV Supporters chanting
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SCU & SV Balbin addressing meeting in Spanish (2 shots)
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GV Supporters signing
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CU Campaign emblem
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GV & MV Crowds hold back by police on motorcycles (3 shots)
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Initials SGM/1523 SGM/1506



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The veteran Argentine politician Ricardo Balbin, aged 68, launched his third bid for the Presidency with a policy speech to members of the Union Civica Radical del Peublo(USRP) in Buenos Aires on Monday (25 Sept).

Senor Balbin -- who is secretary-general of the UCRP -- is contesting the party's nomination with a younger man, Senor Raul Alfonsin. He soundly defeated Senor Alfonsin in party elections last May and if he wins the nomination, Senor Balbin will enter the Presidential election with the support of the second largest political group in Argentina.

He unsuccessfully ran for President in 1951 and 1958.

Senor Balbin told the campaign meeting that his party's platform would be progressive and against foreign penetration of the Argentine economy. After the meeting party supporters scuffled with police who were trying to clear the road for traffic.

The general elections scheduled for 25 March 1973 will follow more than six years of military rule. There have been two formal nominations so far.

A former Social Welfare Minister, Senor Francisco Manrique, has announced his candidature, but does not have the formal backing of any Argentina's fragmented political parties.

Former President Juan Peron, now in exile in Spain, was nominated by Peronist supporters, but failed to return to Argentina's by 25 August to ???et the residential qualification set by Argentina's soldier-President Alejandro Lanusse. President Lanusse is not standing in the March election.

SYNOPSIS: Veteran Argentine politician Ricardo Balbin is making his third bid for the Presidency. He's trying to win the nomination of Argentina's second largest political group, the Union Civica Radical party, for the Presidential election next March.

At a party rally in Buenos Aires this week, Senor Balbin, spelled out his policy. He said the radicals election platform would be progressive. They would oppose the penetration of Argentina's economy by what he termed "foreign imperialistic or monopolistic interest". Senor Balbin aged sixty-eight is opposed within the Union Civica Radical by a younger man, but he soundly defeated his opponent in party elections earlier this year and Senor Balbin's position as secretary-general of the party is expected to secure him the nomination. Senor Balbin was once imprisoned by the former Argentine president, Juan Person, and ran unsuccessfully for President in 1951 and 1958.

His entry to the Presidential race has added another factor to the confused nature of Argentine politics.

This confrontation between Radical Party supporters and police, after the Buenos Aires meeting, illustrated the explosive nature of Argentine politics. The Presidential elections in March will follow six years of military rule beset by internal disorders. So far Senor Balbin has one rival -- a former Government Minister who has no party backing. Former President Juan Peron did not return from exile in Spain in order to qualify as a candidate.