1.
GV EXT. conference hall
0.05

2.
CU Viet Cong flag flying
0.10

3.
SV Cambodian delegate and aide arrive and speak to reporter FRENCH SOF THROUGHOUT
0.40

4.
SV Cambodian delegate enters hall
0.46

5.
GV INT. delegates seated
0.50

6.
SV Laos seat
0.56

7.
SV Viet Cong delegate seated (3 shots)
1.07

8.
SV Empty seat of Indonesian delegate
1.14

9.
CU ZOOM OUT empty seat of Malaysian delegate
1.18



Initials OS/1626 OS/1640



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference, in Georgetown on Saturday (12 August) began to wind up their controversy-ridden meeting after having cleared the last big hurdle by choosing Algeria for the next summit.

Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) fought for the right to host the summit, but the conference chairman, Guyanese Foreign Minister Sonny Ramphal, ruled the consensus was Algeria.

It was the same consensus formula that led to the admission of the Viet Cong and the Peking-based Cambodian exile government and which led to Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos walking out i protest on Thursday (10 August).

The conference had been scheduled to end Friday night (11 August), but it was extended until Saturday because discussion of important issues had been delayed by the protracted dispute over the seating of the Viet Cong and the Cambodian exile regime.

The Cambodian seat had been declared vacant at a non-aligned conference summit in Lanka two years ago because of rival claims from Prince Sihanouk's exile regime and the Phnom Penh government. The Viet Cong delegation, formerly assigned observer status, said they deserved their seat and scoffed at the walk-out of Indonesia, Malaysia and Laos.