1.
GV Elysee Place
0.06

2.
SV French flag
0.10

3.
MV Car arrives and Prince Souvanna Phouma enters building
0.32

4.
CU Flag on car
0.34

5.
CU Guards
0.37

6.
MV TO CU Prince Souvanna leaves building and walks to car and drives off
1.15



Initials BB/1646 EW/DE/BB/1656



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Laotian Prime Minister Prince Souvanna Phouma called upon France's President Valery Giscard D'Estaing in Paris on Tuesday (29 October). The 73-year-old Prince was concluding a two-month period of convalescence in Grasse, southern France, following a heart attack on 12 July.

Prince Souvanna left Vientiane, capital of Laos, on 25 August, in a Caravelle jet provided by the French Government. His departure came only three months after he had succeeded in forming a coalition government including the Pathet Lao ... the pro-Ccmmunist faction in Laos led by the Prince's half-brother, Prince Souphanouvong. Laos had been disturbed by factional strife -- both political and military -- since the country gained independence form French rule in 1949.

The Prince is expected to leave for Vientiane on I November. During his absence, a senior member of the Pathet Lao, Foreign Minister Phoumi Vogvichit, has been acing-Prime Minister.