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GV TILT DOWN EXT Conference hall
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SV Libyan Foreign Minister being interviewed by reporter
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CU Foreign Minister listening to reporter's question and answering.
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SOUND STARTS: "Does the union mean...."



SOUND ENDS: "...expulsion, as you say."



DAVIS: "Does the union mean that Libya and Egypt will have no room for an independent foreign policy and decisions?"



FOREIGN MINISTER KIKHYA: "We are discussing now the union between Egypt and Libya. Unity, rather than union...and the unity between two countries supposes full agreement between them on foreign policies. So, it depends on what the final formula, what will be decided by popular referendum and in constitutional formula which will be suggested from here to September 1973. At that time, once the unity between Egypt and Libya is created, so there will be no difficulty and difference in foreign policy. I believe everyone understands, it is the logical consequences of the unity between two countries."



DAVIS: "What is your government's view on the recent expulsion of Soviet arms and advisers from Egypt?"



KIKHYA: "You said an expulsion of Soviet arms. We don't think there was an expulsion of Soviet arms and advisors from Egypt. The only thing that happened, is that the Russian advisers and experts who were in Egypt, they really did their job and they finished their job and they left the country, because they taught Egyptians who could take their place. There was no expulsion, as you say."




Initials BB/2330 CH/BOB/BB/2337


The text of Foreign Minister Kikhya's interview follows:

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Foreign Minister of Libya Manour Rashid Kikhya, in Guyana for the conference of non-aligned nations in Georgetown, granted an exclusive interview to VISNEWS on Wednesday (9 August).

Mr. Kikhya, asked about the proposed merger of Libya and Egypt, indicated that the unification would mean a single foreign policy for both nations. On the recent expulsion of Soviet military experts from Egypt, he said there had been no expulsion "but the Russians had finished their job, and left."
Foreign Minister Kikhya was interviewed by Visnews reporter Martin Davis.

SYNOPSIS: Libya's Foreign Minister, Mansour Rashid Kikhya, in Guyana for the conference of non-aligned nations, granted this exclusive interview on the proposed merger of Libya and Egypt.