1.
MV EXT PALAIS
0.08

2.
MV MALRAUX OUT OF BUILDING AND INTO A CAR)
0.14

3.
MV SCHUMANN DITTO
0.20

4.
MV MESSMER OUT AND DOWN STEPS
0.30

5.
MV FAURE OUT OF BUILDING
0.37

6.
SCU DITTO AND INTO CAR
0.45

7.
MV LE THEO LE DOWN STEPS AND TOWARDS CAR
1.00

8.
MV CAMERAMEN
1.02

9.
MV COUVE DE MURVILLE AND DEBRE OUT OF BUILDING AND TOWARDS CAR, COUVE INTO CAR
1.23

10.
MV CARS AWAY
1.31



Initials GEP/V/CT/SS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE FRENCH CABINET MET AT THE ELYSEE PALACE IN PARIS YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) TO DISCUSS AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION LAID BEFORE IT BY THE FOREIGN MINISTER, M. MICHEL DEBRE. IN PARTICULAR THE CABINET WAS CONCERNED WITH THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS AND THE REACTIONS OF ISRAEL AND THE ARAB STATES TO GENERAL DE GAULLE'S DECISION TO BAN ARMAMENT SHIPMENT FROM FRANCE TO ISRAEL.

AFTER THE CABINET MEET M. JOEL LE THEULE THE RULE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INFORMATION SAID THAT FRANCE WAS CONSCIOUS OF HAVING SERVED LEBANON BY IMPOSING THE TOTAL ARMS BAN. THE EMBARGO FOLLOWED LAST MONTHS ISRAELI REPRISAL RAID ON BEIRUT AIRPORT. THE GAULLIST GOVERNMENT HAS EMPHASISED ITS CLOSE LINKS WITH LEBANON, WHICH IT FEELS FALLS WITHIN THE FRENCH SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.

MR. LE THEULE SAID THAT FRANCE HOPED THAT THERE WOULD BE A FOUR POWER MEETING ON THE MIDDLE EAST VERY SOON. FRANCE HAS PRESSED FOR JOIN GREAT POWER ACTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST BASED ON THE NOVEMBER 1967 UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION CALLING FOR ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM OCCUPIED TERRITORIES AND ARAB DE JURE RECOGNITION OF ISRAELI'S EXISTENCE.

IN A RADIO INTERVIEW YESTERDAY THE FRENCH PRIME MINISTER M. MAURICE COUVE DE MURVILLE SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS 'NOT IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE FOUR BIG POWERS SHOULD NOW COME TO THE CONDITION THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD, NORMAL, AND CONSEQUENTLY NECESSARY FOR THEM TO INTERVIEW TO FIND THE BASIS FOR A SOLUTION.

AMONG THE MINISTERS PRESENT AT YESTERDAY CABINET MEETING WERE MALRAUX, MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS, M. SCHUMANN, SOCIAL AFFAIRS, M. MESSMER, DEFENCE, AND M. FAURE THE EDUCATION MINISTER.