MOUNT STANLEY: MOBUTU AT MEETING WITH MINISTERS: MOBUTU MEETING AND TALKING TO YUGOSLAVIAN VICE-PRESIDENT AND OFFICIALS: SUDANESE AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AMBASSADOR WITH MOBUTU: TANZANIAN AMBASSADOR TAKES LEAVE OF MOBUTU.




Initials AH/VS/JH/BJ



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Background: AT MOUNT STANLEY, PRESIDENT JOSEPH MOBUTU PRESIDED AT THE RECENT ANNUAL REVIEW BY CONGO-KINSHASA'S COUNCIL OF MINISTERS. THE PRESIDENT CALLED UPON ALL MINISTERIAL DEPARTMENTS TO CO-ORDINATE THEIR EFFORTS TO CONSOLIDATE THE COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC POSITION.

IN THE FINANCIAL YEAR JUST ENDED, THE INTERNAL DEBT OF THE GOVERNMENT WAS REDUCED, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS THE COUNTRY'S BALANCE ENDED WITH A SURPLUS.

MOUNT STANLEY HAS ALSO BEEN THE SCENE OF CONSIDERABLE DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY IN RECENT WEEKS.

QUESTIONS OF ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL CO-OPERATION WERE DISCUSSED BY PRESIDENT MOBUTU AND THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE YUGOSLAVIAN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS MISA PAVICENIC. DURING THE TALKS, THE CONGOLESE HEAD OF STATE WAS INVITED TO ATTEND THE PREPARATORY CONFERENCE OF NON-ALIGNED STATES TO BE HELD IN BELGRADE NEXT APRIL.

SUDAN'S NEW AMBASSADOR ABDU LA RAMATALA PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT MOBUTU. THE AMBASSADOR CONVEYED THE PERSONAL GREETINGS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE SUDANESE REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL, GENERAL MOHAMED EL NIMERI, TO THE CONGOLESE PEOPLE.

AND PRESIDENT MOBUTU DECLARED THAT HE HOPED TO SEE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES MAINTAINED AND STRENGTHENED.

THE PRESIDENT EXPRESSED A SIMILAR DESIRE WHEN HE GAVE AUDIENCE TO THE NEW CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC AMBASSADOR PROSPER LAVODRAMA. THE TRADITIONAL LINKS FORCED BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS WERE PARTICULARLY STRONG, DECLARED THE PRESIDENT. BORDERS BETWEEN THE COUNTRIES HAD JUST RE-OPENED FOLLOWING MORE THAN A YEAR'S CLOSURE AFTER THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC FROM THE UNION OF CENTRAL AFRICAN STATES.

PRESIDENT MOBUTU ALSO RECEIVED A FAREWELL VISIT FROM THE TANZANIAN AMBASSADOR, WHO WAS THANKED FOR HIS EFFORTS IN WORKING FOR THE MUTUAL BENEFIT AND AMICAL RELATIONS OF THE TWO NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES.