NIGERIA HOUSE IN LONDON; ENAHORO BEING INTERVIEWED (SOF).



TRANSCRIPT: QUESTION: "THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING ACTION AGAINST DUTCH NATIONALS BY RESTRICTING THEIR ENTRY INTO NIGERIA BECAUSE THE DUTCH GOVERNMENT HAS STOPPED THE SALE OF ARMS. IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT IF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WERE TO TAKE SIMILAR ACTION THAT ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST BRITISH NATIONALS ENTERING NIGERIA?"



ENAHORO: "WELL I THINK I SAID EARLIER THAT I WOULDN'T ...ONE CAN'T CALCULATE ONE CAN'T BE CERTAIN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THAT GRAVE EVENT. IT WOULD BE (INDISTINCT)... TO THE AGREED POSITION IF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WERE TO ORDER OR TO STOP THE SALE OF ARMS IT WOULD BE QUITE SERIOUS AND I CAN'T SAY WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. I REALLY COULDN'T AND NOT EVEN THOSE WHO ARE REGARDED AS PRO-BRITISH IN NIGERIA, IT WOULD SEEM, COULD FORESEE WHAT THEIR OWN ATTITUDE MIGHT BE."



QUESTION: "CHIEF ENAHORO DO YOU THINK ANYTHING CAN COME OF THESE PRESENT INFORMAL TALKS IN LONDON BETWEEN LORD SHEPHERD, SIR LOUIS MBANEFO, AND YOURSELF?"



ENAHORO: "WELL I SUPPOSE WE COULD COVER ENOUGH GROUND TO INDICATE THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME USE IN TALKING AGAIN BUT I HOPE IT'S REALISED THAT WE IN LONDON CAN'T TAKE A DECISION TO TALK AGAIN. THIS IS A DECISION THAT MUST BE TAKEN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REBEL AUTHORITIES."



QUESTION: "IF YOU DO GET AROUND THE TABLE AGAIN UNDER WHAT TERMS WOULD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MOVE TOWARDS A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT?"



ENAHORO: "I THINK FIRST OF ALL THERE MUST BE SOME MACHINERY FOR ENSURING WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE LINES IN THE EVENT OF A CEASE-FIRE AND THERE MUST BE SOME MINIMUM FIXED FOR MOVEMENT IN THEIR POSITION TOWARDS REUNIFICATION OF OUR COUNTRY."



QUESTION: "THAT REALLY IS THE QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY. DO YOU THINK THERE COULD BE SOME TEMPORARY COMPROMISE OVER THIS?"



ENAHORO: "YOU SEE, I NOTICED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRED TO OFFER ALL THE COMPROMISE...(INDISTINCT).... TO REQUIRE FROM THE OTHER SIDE. THE WHOLE REASON FOR THIS WAR IS SECESSION AND ANY GENUINE AND SERIOUS EFFORT TO ESTABLISH PEACE MUST TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND MUST DEAL WITH THAT PROBLEM. IT'S A QUESTION OF DETAIL HOW IT'S DONE, WHETHER THERE IS A FACE SAVING DEVICE, WHERE THERE ARE ....(INDISTINCT). THERE MUST BE SOME MINIMUM GIVE ON THEIR PART AND SO FAR ALL THE COMMENTS ONE HAS SEEN REQUIRE ALL THE GIVE ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S SIDE AND ALL THE TAKE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND NO GIVE AND TAKE."




Initials JP/V/CR/OS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE NIGERIAN INFORMATION MINISTER, CHIEF ENAHORO, WARNED IN LONDON TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE STOPPING OF BRITISH ARMS SHIPMENTS TO FEDERAL FORCES COULD PROLONG RATHER THAN END THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR. CHIEF ENAHORO SAID THIS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE SHORTLY BEFORE A DEBATE IN THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT ON DEMANDS FOR A CHANGE IN BRITISH POLICY ON PROVIDING ARMS TO THE LAGOS GOVERNMENT.

CHIEF ENAHORO WAS ASKED ABOUT THE BRITISH ARMS POSITION