PRESIDENT BANDA ARRIVING AND WELCOMED.




Initials JSU/VS/BOB/SC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: PRESIDENT KAMAZU BANDA OF MALAWI ARRIVED IN NAIROBI YESTERDAY (TUESDAY) FROM LONDON TO START A SIX-DAY STATE VISIT TO KENYA. DR. BANDA HAD JUST CONCLUDED AN OVERSEAS TOUR WHICH TOOK HIM TO WEST GERMANY, BRITAIN AND ISRAEL, WHERE HE CONFERRED WITH GOVERNMENT LEADERS.

DR. BANDA WAS WARMLY WELCOMED AT THE AIRPORT BY PRESIDENT JOMO KENYATTA, A CLOSE PERSONAL FRIEND FOR MANY YEARS. THE TWO LEADERS INSPECTED A GUARD OF HONOUR AND WATCHED MASSED TRADITIONAL DANCERS.

THE VISIT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO BE PRIVATE. BUT PRESIDENT KENYATTA CHANGED IT TO A STATE FUNCTION LAST THURSDAY (6 JUNE), THE DAY AFTER PRESIDENT KENNETH KAUNDA OF ZAMBIA HAD COMPLETED A STATE VISIT THERE.

DR. BANDA IS KENYA'S THIRD STATE VISITOR SINCE INDEPENDENCE FOUR YEARS AGO. THE FIRST WAS EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE OF ETHIOPIA.

IN AN AIRPORT PRESS CONFERENCE PRESIDENT BANDA SPOKE ONLY OF HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL. HE SAID THAT NEWSPAPERS GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT JEWS AND ARABS OF ISRAEL WERE AT EACH OTHER'S THROATS EVERYTIME THEY MET. HE DID NOT FIND THIS SO.

"BOTH THE ISRAEL GOVERNMENT AND MANY ARAB LEADERS WANT PEACE", HE SAID. THEY WANTED TO COME TO THE CONFERENCE TABLE TO TALK THINGS OVER AND MAKE COMPROMISES.

DURING HIS VISIT DR. BANDA WILL SEE WILD-LIFE CENTRES, SETTLEMENT SCHEMES, AND AGRICULTURAL SHOW, A HOSPITAL AND NURSES TRAINING CENTRE AS WELL AS HAVING TALKS WITH PRESIDENT KENYATTA.