1.
SV EXTERIOR: President Sir Anthony Mamo takes salute then walks across and inspects guards with band playing (3 shots)
0.24

2.
SV: crowd watching
0.26

3.
SCU TO GV: Mamo in balcony with Miss. Agatha Barbara (acting premier) and the band marching by.
0.37

4.
SV: parade passing by with banners and flags, crowd watching. (2 shots)
0.48

5.
GV: decorated streets with crowd and Labour Youth band as Mamo and others watching. (5 shots)
1.22



Initials RH/MH/AW/1645



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The people of Malta celebrated to years of republican government on Monday (13 December).

SYNOPSIS: Republic Day celebrations in Valletta took the form of a march past before the President of Malta, Sir Anthony Mamo. Malta be came a democratic republic after it common wealth independence constitution was abolished two years ago. The office of Governor-General was replaced by that of President.

The government was represented by the acting Prime Minister, Miss. Barbara. She was standing in for the Prime Minister, Mr. Don Mintoff who's Labour government won the general election in September with a three seat majority in the parliament.

The Prime Minister has stressed that there will he no foreign military bases in Malta after 1979. This is the year in which current leases with Britain and NATO expire. Mr. Mamo says its the wish of the Maltese people to have neutrality guaranteed by European and Arab countries. While Mr. Mamo's government aims to take Malta into a non-aligned group of countries the opposition Nationalist Party has sought to retain traditional tics with the west.