SCHEEL SPEAKING; AUDIENCE. (GERMAN SOF).




Initials KM/V/PW/MH



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AS WEST GERMANY'S GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN DRAWS TO A CLOSE WALTER SCHEEL, LEADER OF THE SMALL OPPOSITION FREE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, LAST NIGHT ADDRESSED A RALLY IN WIESBADEN.

FIGHTING THEIR CAMPAIGN WITH THE SLOGAN "WE WANT TO BLOW AWAY THE OLD COBWEBS", THE LIBERAL FREE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN ACCUSING THEIR OPPOSITION PARTIES OF SPENDING MILLIONS OF POUNDS TRYING TO PROVE EACH OTHER WRONG.

HERR SCHEEL SAID LAST NIGHT THAT THE SO-CALLED GRAND COALITION DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO GOVERN AND THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO EVADE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

NEITHER PARTY ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THEIR POLICIES, HE ADDED BECAUSE THEY ARE BOTH TOO BUSY ATTACKING EACH OTHER.

MANY POLITICAL OBSERVERS FEEL THAT HERR SCHEEL'S PARTY IS UNLIKELY TO ACHIEVE ITS 1965 PERFORMANCE OF 9.6 PER CENT OF THE VOTES CAST. BUT IN SPITE OF THIS THEY ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT BY THE TWO MAIN PARTIES -- THE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS AND THE SOCIAL DEMOCRATS -- SINCE THE WEST GERMAN ELECTORAL SYSTEM MAKES COALITIONS ALMOST INEVITABLE.

FPD SOURCES HAVE SAID THAT HERR SCHEEL HAS ARRANGED TO MEET HERR BRANDT SECRETLY SOMEWHERE IN BONN AS SOON AS SUNDAY'S ELECTION RESULT IS KNOW TO DISCUSS TERMS OF A COALITION DEAL.