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GV Palace steps
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2.
GV President Apithy from stops to car
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3.
SV Members of Presidential Council
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SV INT. President Maga addressing unionists
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GV Unionists in audience (2 shots)
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SV & CU Maga continues speech
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GV Delegates (2 shots)
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GV EXT. Delegates down Palace steps & away (4 shots)
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Initials JMR/PN/SGM/0550 JMR/PN/SGM/0610



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Trade Union leaders from all over Dahomey were invited to the Presidential Palace in Cotonou on Saturday(9 January) for talks with the three-man Presidential Council. President Hubert Maga said that while the country had done much to overcome its economic difficulties, a great deal remained to be done if it was to achieve what he called "the spoch of fat cows".

The Head of State was accompanied by the other two members of the Presidential Council, President Apithy and President Ahomadegbe. He called upon the union leaders to make a collective effort to help the country to recover financially.

Financially, the country was still convalescent but its efforts were impressing foreign observers. Many had stopped considering Dahomey as a country without hope.

He reaffirmed that a dialogue between the Government and the workers remained open. He called for loyal discussions on all social problems of the country without anyone believing it necessary to adopt attitudes which fringed on subversion.

He urged all present, at the start of a new year, to commit themselves to working together to safeguard the country's new-found unity and to defend he peace and stability which were essential for the country's progress.