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GTV President Costa Gomes walks to podium.
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GV Delegates seated.
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SV President Costa Gomes speaks.
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PRESIDENT GOMES: "Mr. President. I am Chief of State of a country which has suffered half a century of dictatorship and which -- on the long night of 25 April -- underwent a bloodless revolution regarded as the purest of the century. We are perfectly determined to safeguard the purity of the revolutionary objectives. In the process of decolonisation we will remain faithful to the principles of international law, of self-determination and of independence. In the application of these principles we have the flexibility of spirit to safeguard the interests of the people who are being decolonised. We shall show the dynamism of those who undertake a task with many years of delay and the patience required to fill the happiness of those people who have suffered in the flesh the consequences of Portugal's previous political situation.



The pre-democratic situation in which we live has important economic and financial difficulties that will be better overcome if the democratic countries of the world would be disposed to a moral and material solidarity: speedy, fraternal and just, in the supply of political and financial aid. We expect from them that friendly attitude."




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This film includes a section of President Costa Gomes speech in Portuguese. A translation follows:

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: President Francisco da Costa Gomes of Portugal has called on the United Nations to life restrictions on his country's membership of the international organisation. The President -- who is the first Portuguese leader to address the General Assembly -- said the international community no longer had the right to "cast anathemas" on his country since last April's overthrow of the Caetano regime.

General Costa Gomes also pledged his country's loyalty to the United Nations charter.

He was given a standing ovation both before and after his 20 minute address.

SYNOPSIS: He said Portugal had suffered half a century of dictatorship which - on the long night of 25 April - was ended by a bloodless coup regarded by outsiders as the purest of the century.

He said Portugal was determined to safeguard the purity of its revolutionary objectives. In the deconolisation of its former overseas territories he said Portugal would remain faithful to the principles of international law, self determination and independence.

He pledged that Portugal would quickly undertake the task of decolonisation to try to make up for the many years of delay and try to bring satisfaction to those people who suffered under the previous Portuguese regime.

The President said the "pre-democratic" situation that exists in Portugal with its economic and financial difficulties would be overcome more easily if the democratic countries of the world gave both material and moral support. He said the Portuguese people expected friendships and hoped for speedy financial and political aid from these countries.