1.
SV Barre down steps & greeted by Selassie & Boumedienne & 21-gun salute
0.27

2.
SV Barre & Selassie inspect guard (3 shots)
0.50

3.
SV Barre & Selassie towards building
1.01

4.
OPTICAL


5.
TV Shafei out of car into Hall
1.17

6.
SV Ould Daddah of Mauritania out of car into Hall
1.25

7.
SV Mobutu (Zaire) out of car into Hall
1.36

8.
SV Amin out of car into Hall
1.49

9.
SV Nyerere up steps into Hall
12.57

10.
SV Selassie arrives & given applause up steps into Hall
2.11

11.
SV INT. Barre welcomed by other members
2.34

12.
SV Shafei congratulates Barre
2.42

13.
SV ZOOM TO CU Houphouet-Boigny (Ivory coast)
2.45

14.
SV Members leave after closed session
2.51



Initials SGM/2131 SGM/2215



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: President Mohamed Siad Barre of Somalia arrived in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa on Monday (28 May) to pursue his country's campaign for the intervention of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in what he terms a "territorial dispute with Ethiopia."
President Barre was greeted at the airport by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, and honoured with a 21-gun salute. He was accompanied by the Foreign Ministers of Nigeria, Liberia and Somalia, who went to Mogadishu, Somalia, on Sunday (27 May) with a special invitation to him to attend the OAU summit meeting. The summit conference, which officially opened on Sunday (27 May), was held to mark the 10th anniversary of the creation of the OAU.

The dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia centres on the southern desert region of Ethiopia where oil is reported to have been found. It had dominated the OAU Ministerial Council meeting which preceded the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Organisation and the summit which opened on Sunday.

Somalia had asked for an OAU solution of what it termed a territorial dispute with Ethiopia. Ethiopia, on the other hand, said the only dispute was a limited border one, and challenged the right of the OAU to consider any territorial claims by one member state against another.

Both leaders, however, have since agreed to the formation of a committee of African heads of state, which will mediate their differences. Conciliatory speeches at Monday's (28 May) OAU summit meeting by President Barre and Emperor Haile Selassie appeared too have broken the deadlock.

President Barry said that Somalia was genuinely interested in finding an equatable solution to the problem based on justice. Emperor Haile Selassie said it was possible to find a solution to the problem based on goodwill and brotherhood.

OAU Chairman General Yakubu Gowon, the Nigerian leader, said that as a result of this excellent and most encouraging development from the two leader's statements, it was hoped that agreement could be reached on a list of heads of state who would use their offices in finding a solution. Both Ethiopia and Somalia will be duly informed when the list is ready.