FEDERAL PALACE HOTEL; WORKMEN PAINTING FLAGPOLES AND UNLOADING OFFICE EQUIPMENT; COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT SECRETARY-GENERAL ARNOLD SMITH MEETING BALEWA; PRESSMAN AT NEWS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY NIGERIAN INFORMATION MINISTER A. AKERELE; BALEWA STATEMENT (SOF).



TRANSCRIPT: SIR ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA: "WELL, THE REASON IS BECAUSE OF THE RHODESIAN PROBLEM NOW. THOUGH IT IS PURELY A BRITISH GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITY, IT HAS MORE OR LESS BECOME THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WHOLE WORLD. THE UNITED NATIONS, THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY, THEY'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT. I THOUGHT THE COMMONWEALTH IS A BODY THAT IS VERY CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROBLEM AND I THINK TOO THE COMMONWEALTH COULD GIVE ADVICE TO BRITAIN AS TO HOW THE PROBLEM COULD BE SOLVED. WELL, THE REASON WHY WE CALLED FOR THE CONFERENCE IS WE FEEL THAT BY PUTTING OUR HEADS TOGETHER WE MAY BE ABLE TO BE OF HELP TO BRITAIN IN BRINGING DOWN THE REBELLION."




Initials GEM/VS/BHH/PC



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Background: PREPARATIONS ARE GOING AHEAD AT A LUXURY HOTEL IN THE NIGERIAN CAPITAL, LAGOS, FOR NEXT WEEK'S MEETING OF COMMONWEALTH STATES TO DISCUSS THE RHODESIA CRISIS. THE NIGERIAN PRIME MINISTER, SIR ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA, WILL MOVE INTO THE HOTEL WITH THE OTHER DELEGATES.

THE CASINO AT THE FEDERAL PALACE HOTEL HAS BEEN CLOSED, AND ALL OTHER GUESTS HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THE BUILDING UNTIL THE CONFERENCE IS OVER. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER HAROLD WILSON WILL HAVE TO CONVINCE HIS FELLOW COMMONWEALTH LEADERS THAT HE IS TAKING THE RIGHT STEPS AGAINST RHODESIA'S REBEL GOVERNMENT.

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE NEW COMMONWEALTH SECRETARIAT, MR. ARNOLD SMITH, ARRIVED IN LAGOS AHEAD OF THE OFFICIAL DELEGATIONS. HE MET SIR ABUBAKAR BEFORE SETTING TO WORK WITH OTHER SECRETARIAT OFFICIALS ON PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONFERENCE, WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMONWEALTH MEETING TO BE HELD OUTSIDE LONDON.