PALAIS DES NATIONS: PRESIDENT ARRIVES: GUARD: PRESIDENT GREETED AND INTO BUILDING: CAMERAMEN: DELEGATES: PRESIDENT SPEAKS.




Initials GHB/VS/AS/EEH



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Background: PRESIDENT HOUARI BOUMEDIENNE YESTERDAY (MONDAY) ATTENDED THE OPENING OF A MEETING OF THE 675 PRESIDENTS OF ALGERIA'S PEOPLES' LOCAL COUNCILS, OR MAYORALTIES, AT THE PALAIS DES NATIONS NEAR ALGIERS.

THE MEETING OPENED ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST LOCAL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN THE COUNTRY, AND DISCUSSION CENTRED ON THE PROGRESS WHICH HAD BEEN MADE IN THE REGIONS.

PRESIDENT BOUMEDIENNE ADDRESSED DELEGATES AT THE OPENING SESSION, AND OTHER ALGERIAN LEADERS PRESENT WERE M. KAID AHMED, CHIEF OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT PARTY, (FLN), AND THE MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, M. MEDEGHRI.

THE MEETING WAS SCHEDULED TO LAST FOUR DAYS.

ALGIERS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS YESTERDAY ENTERED THE THIRD DAY OF THEIR STRIKE PROTESTING AGAINST WHAT THEY CHARGED WERE ATTEMPTS TO IMPOSE A GOVERNMENT SPONSORED LEADERSHIP ON THEM. LEADERS OF THE 8,000 STUDENTS APPEARED TO BE READY FOR A TEST OF STRENGTH WITH THE FLN. M. KAID AHMED HAS DECIDED TO HOLD ELECTIONS WITHIN THE STUDENTS UNION UNDER PARTY SUPERVISION.