1.
GV Villa Madama and pressmen outside (2 shots)
0.11

2.
MV PAN car arrives Carrington alights and greets, into building
0.27

3.
SV Mintoff out of car, greeted, speaks to pressmen and into building (2 shots)
0.48

4.
GV INT Delegates seated around table
0.51

5.
SV Carrington talking
0.56

6.
SV & MV & GV Mintoff talking (3 shots)
1.12

7.
GV Carrington talking
1.17



Initials BB/0053 GL/DW/BB/0136



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Britain and Malta resumed their talks on Thursday at the Renaissance Villa Madama, outside Rome, in an attempt to settle difference still blocking the way to an agreement on the island's military bases.

British Defence Minister Lord Carrington and Maltese Premier Dom Mintoff are now the main participants, as NATO Secretary-General Joseph Luns has returned to Brussels. They were joined at Thursday's talks by Italian Foreign Minister Aldo Moro, who has played a conciliatory role in the negotiations.

SYNOPSIS: At the Villa Madama, outside Rome, Britain and Malta resumed their talks on Thursday in an attempt to clear the way to a new defence agreement.

Britain's Defence Secretary Lord Carrington was the first to arrive. His task now was to see what concessions Mr. Mintoff would be prepared to make in exchange for the increased cash offer made by the NATO countries.

The Maltese Prime Minister, on the other hand, is reported to be still pressing for specific undertakings from Britain on how many Maltese should be employed at the bases and how much they should be paid.

As the delegates sat down, it was clear there was still hard bargaining to be done, not just on matters of detail, but on the underlying principles of a new agreement. Mr. Mintoff knew how much the NATO countries were prepared to pay for the British bases. But it remained to be settled whether other countries besides Britain should have access to the facilities on the island.