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GV PAN EXTERIOR: FAO conference centre, Tunis.
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MV: delegates arriving.
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GV PAN INTERIOR: conference hall and delegates seated.
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MVs: Tunisian Prime Minister Hedi Nouira addressing conference and delegates listening. (2 shots)
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MVs: Nouira continues address. (3 shots)
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MVs: delegates listening Nouira addressing conference. (3 shots)
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GV PAN: conference in session.
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Initials RH/AB/DK/1800



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The 13th United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation regional conference for the near east opened in the Tunisian capital, Tunis on Monday (4 October).

SYNOPSIS: The conference will run until the 12th of October, and is being attended by delegates from 22 countries. High on the agenda for discussion was the promotion of the agricultural sectors, in order to meet the ever-increasing food needs of developing countries.

The official opening was performed by tunisian Prime Minister Hedi Nouira, who in his address spoke about the food situation in poor countries. He pointed out that in such areas only one out of five people was properly fed. He said that world stocks of cereals would only last for 30 days should there be global failure of crops. Although the worldwide situation as a whole had improved in the last three years there was still a great urgency to create world-wide economic order, so that poorer and developing countries could be assured of a fair proportion of food supplies to feed their populations, he said.