OBOTE GREETED BY SELASSIE/DIALLO TELLI/BOKASSA/U THANT/BOUMEDIENNE AND NYERERE/ SELASSIE GIVES SPEECH/GOWON AND OBOTE/OAU MEETING FOLLOWING MORNING/KAPWEPWE/ ENAHORO.




Initials MJS/VS/CT/OS



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Background: DELEGATES TO THE SIXTH SUMMIT OF THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU) AT ADDIS ABABA TOOK TIME OFF FROM DEBATING THE PROBLEMS OF THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR ON SUNDAY. (7 SEPTEMBER)
THEY ATTENDED A BANQUET GIVEN BY ETHIOPIAN EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE AT THE GRAND PALACE. OTHER DIPLOMATS, AND DISTINGUISHED VISITORS WERE AMONG THE 1,200 GUESTS.

POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADERS - INCLUDING MILTON OBOTE, PRESIDENT OF UGANDA, OAU SECRETARY-GENERAL MR. DIALO TELLI, COLONEL BOKASSA, LEADER OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, U THANT - SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, PRESIDENT BOUMEDIENNE OF ALGERIA, AND FEDERAL NIGERIAN LEADER GENERAL GOWON - WERE ALL WELCOMED TO THE PALACE BY THE EMPEROR. THEY MINGLED AND CHATTED, AND FORGOT, AT LEAST APPARENTLY, THE DIFFICULTIES OF THE CONFERENCE TABLE.

NEXT MORNING, HOWEVER, IT WAS BACK TO BUSINESS, WITH MORE MEETINGS. THE HEADS OF STATE RESUMED THEIR WORK IN PLENARY SESSION WHILE THE OAU SIX-MEMBER CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE ON NIGERIA MET SEPARATELY UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE.

THE CONFERENCE, WHICH BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, ENDED AT DAWN TODAY (10 SEPTEMBER) WITH A CALL FOR THE SUSPENSION OF HOSTILITIES IN NIGERIA AND THE IMMEDIATE OPENING OF PEACE TALKS.

DELEGATES ALSO PLEDGED SUPPORT TO UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC EFFORTS TO REGAIN TERRITORY OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL AFTER THE SIX-DAY WAR OF 1967. THE PLEDGE CAME AFTER REPORTS OF THE ARMOURED RAID AGAINST THE U.A.R. YESTERDAY BY ISRAEL.