PRESIDENTIAL PALACE; CROWD AND GUARDS OUTSIDE PALACE; PRESIDENT'S PRESS CONFERENCE; PRISONERS BEING RELEASED BEFORE PRESSMEN; PRISONERS AND CAPTURED GUNS; POLICE CHIEF AND GUNS AND AMMUNITION; ROADBLOCK AND "PEACE AND CONTROL" SIGNS; SPANISH GUARDS CONFINED TO BARRACKS; CARS ABANDONED BY REFUGEES; BEACH AND SHIPS ANCHORED OFF-SHORE; REFUGEES AT RIO MUNI AIRPORT; GUARDS CHECKING REFUGEE BAGGAGE; REFUGEES LEAVING.




Initials LD/VS/BOB/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ONLY FIVE MONTHS AFTER ACHIEVING INDEPENDENCE FROM 200 YEARS OF SPANISH COLONIAL RULE, EQUATORIAL LAST WEDNESDAY (5 MARCH) FOUND ITSELF IN THE THRONE OF AN ATTEMPTED COUP TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT FRANCISCO MACIAS. THE ABORTIVE COUP, WHICH FOLLOWED A WEEK-LONG EXODUS OF SPANIARDS FROM THE COUNTRY, WAS SOON UNDER CONTROL. THE PRESIDENT, WHO HAS BEGUN A PURGE OF HIS POLITICAL ENEMIES ACCUSED SPAIN OF BEING INVOLVED IN "MASTER-MINDING" THE COUP.

THE COUP WAS ALLEGEDLY LED BY FOREIGN MINISTER ATANASIO N'DONGO AND BY MR. SATURNINO IBONGO, EQUATORIAL GUINEA'S CHIEF DELEGATE TO THE UNITED NATIONS. MR. N'DONGO IS REPORTED TO BE IN HOSPITAL HAVING BROKEN BOTH LEGS JUMPING THROUGH A WINDOW WHEN GOVERNMENT TROOPS RETOOK THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE; AND, WHILE ONE REPORT CLAIMS THAT MR. IBONGO COMMITTED SUICIDE BY POISON AFTER BEING TAKEN PRISONER, ANOTHER SAYS THAT HE ESCAPED AND IS STILL FREE.

AFTER SUCCESSFULLY RETAINING CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT., PRESIDENT MACIAS SENT URGENT REQUESTS TO UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL U THANT FOR THE DISPATCH OF U.N. PEACE TROOPS TO HIS COUNTRY AND THE WITHDRAWAL OF SPANISH FORCES STATIONED IN GUINEA. HE ALSO STATED THAT SPAIN WAS INVOLVED IN THE ATTEMPTED COUP. SPAIN WAS DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS OF INTERVENTION AND AGREED TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS AFTER THE EVACUATION OF ALL SPANIARDS WHO WISH TO LEAVE THE MAINLAND. YESTERDAY (MONDAY) A FOUR-MAN UNITED NATIONS GOOD OFFICES MISSION ARRIVED IN BATA UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF SENOR MARCIA TAM, U THANT'S SPECIAL ENVOY TO MEDIATE IN THE CRISIS.

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, AT THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE IN BATA (THE FORMER SPANISH GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE) PRESIDENT MACIAS ANNOUNCED THE ATTEMPTED COUP AND THE GOVERNMENT'S SUCCESSFUL CONTROL OF THE SITUATION. HE ALSO EXPLAINED THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THE COUNTRY WAS FACING AND THE NEED FOR WHITE MEN IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA - NOT SPANIARDS - PARTICULARLY NOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE WEAKENED BY THE DEPARTURE OF MORE THAN 300 CIVIL SERVANTS AND TECHNICIANS WHO REMAINED AT THEIR POSTS WHEN EQUATORIAL GUINEA OBTAINED HER INDEPENDENCE LAST OCTOBER.

IN THE MEANTIME SPANIARDS AND OTHER WHITE EUROPEANS HAVE CONTINUED TO BE EVACUATED FROM THE COUNTRY BY SHIP AND BY AEROPLANE. SO FAR MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND HAVE LEFT SINCE THE START OF THE DISTURBANCES NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO. AND THE SPANISH GUARDIAN CIVIL (CIVIL GUARD) HAVE SO FAR BEEN CONFINED TO THEIR BARRACKS OUTSIDE BATA AWAITING ORDERS FROM MADRID.