1.
LV AND SV Conference hall with flags (2 shots)
0.06

2.
SV Delegates enter (2 shots)
0.19

3.
SV INTERIOR Acheampong enters
0.37

4.
SV AND CU Delegates seated including Commonwealth Caribbean delegates (2 shots)
0.42

5.
CU Gambian, Gabon and Ethiopian delegates seated (2 shots)
0.47

6.
SV Lt.-Col. Selormey (uniformed) and another N.R.C. member
0.50

7.
SV Delegates from Camroon
0.51

8.
CU Acheampong speaks in English:
1.33


TRANSCRIPT:



(SEQ 8): COLONEL ACHEAMPONG: "Fortunately, some of us already practical experience of economic integration in the context of such institution as the East African Community and the Caribbean Common Market. We in West Africa have recently taken a significant step towards the realisation of a similar institution. At a meeting of Minister from West African States, which took part in Monrovia two weeks ago, a historic decision was taken to recommend to a summit conference due to held in Lagos this year the formal establishment of an Economic Community of West African States, and it is the earnest determination of us all that this recommendation would be accepted and implemented."




Initials CL/1625 CL1637


This film includes part of Colonel Acheampong's opening speech.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Ministers of 46 African, Caribbean and Pacific (A.C.P.) countries adopted on Wednesday (12 February) a draft trade and aid agreement with the European Economic Community (E.E.C.) after a two-day meeting in the Ghanian capital, Accra.

The delegates will recommend to their governments that the convention -- formulated earlier this month in Brussels after 18 months of negotiations -- be signed at Lome, in Togo, on February 28.

Participating at the historic meeting were delegates from 37 African, six Caribbean and three Pacific countries.

The agreement they endorsed -- to be known as the Lome convention -- covers four main points: ... duty free access for certain A.C.P. members for the declining prices of some of their products in E.E.C. markets. ... industrial development project for A.C.P. members in return for access into A.C.P. countries of E.E.C.-based companies. ... direct aid from the E.E.C. Totalling 1.8 million pounds sterling.

Opening the meeting on Tuesday, the Ghanian leader, Colonel Ignatius Acheampong said that even more important than this convention was the co-operation between African, Caribbean and Pacific nations that had led to it.

He urged that the A.C.P. be institutionalised to achieve greater cohesion and bargaining-power in the future.