MEETING IN SESSION; AWOLOWO SPEAKING -- SOUND ON FILM THROUGHOUT.



TRANSCRIPT: CHIEF AWOLOWO: I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS PUBLICLY MY VERY GREAT ADMIRATION FOR THE GALLANT AND INDOMITABLE PEOPLE OF ALGERIA. FOR THE BRAVERY AND SELFLESSNESS WHICH THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD OF THEIR LONG AND HISTORIC FIGHT FOR FREEDOM. THE INSPIRATION WHICH THEIR STRUGGLES GAVE TO OTHER COUNTRIES IN AFRICA WILL NEVER DIE FOR A BIT. INDEED THEIR EPIC STRUGGLES WILL FOREVER CONSTITUTE AN IMPERISHABLE EPISODE IN THE ANNALS OF MAN'S LONG AND ARDUOUS MARCH TO LIBERTY. THE IMPRESSIVE ATTENDANCE, ESPECIALLY OF THE HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT, AT THIS OAU SUMMIT IS AT ONCE A GLOWING TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT ALGERIAN PEOPLE AND A MEASURE OF THE AFFECTION WHICH ALL COUNTRIES OF AFRICA HAVE FOR THEM AND THEIR LEADER. LET US THEREFORE REMAIN UNITED, AND LET US DO SO RESOLUTELY, SUCCESSFULLY, AND UNFLINCHINGLY. MR PRESIDENT, I THANK YOU.




Initials DHC/V/CCT/SGM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO OF NIGERIA YESTERDAY (MONDAY) SPOKE AT THE END OF A FOUR-DAY MEETING IN ALGIERS, ALGERIA, OF THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY. CHIEF AWOLOWO, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF NIGERIA'S NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL AND LEADER OF HIS COUNTRY'S DELEGATION TO THE OAU SUMMIT MEETING, EXPRESSED HIS GRATITUDE TO THE 33 STATES WHICH VOTED FOR THE CONFERENCE'S RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING SUPPORT FOR NIGERIA'S UNITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY.

CHIEF AWOLOWO ALSO PAID TRIBUTE TO THE ALGERIAN STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE. HE TOLD THE CONFERENCE CHAIRMAN, ALGERIAN PRESIDENT HOUARI BOUMEDIENNE, AND THE AUDIENCE OF AFRICAN LEADERS: