THE FRENCH PRESIDENT, GENERAL CHARLES DE GAULLE, TODAY (MONDAY) CONDEMNED SOVIET INTERVENTION IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND WARNED THAT THE TIME WAS PAST WHEN FOREIGN DOMINATION COULD WIN SUPPORT.
THE PRESIDENT ALSO SPOKE AGAIN IN FAVOUR OF BIAFRA, THE BREAKAWAY NIGERIAN STATE, AT A 75-MINUTE PRESS CONFERENCE, HIS 17TH SINCE TAKING OFFICE.
SEVERAL HUNDRED JOURNALISTS, TOGETHER WITH DIPLOMATS AND CABINET MINISTERS ATTENDED THE CONFERENCE AT WHICH GENERAL DE GAULLE ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR REFORM AT HOME, INCLUDING REFORM OF THE SENATE - THE UPPER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT - ON WHICH A REFERENDUM WAS TO BE HELD.
OF BIAFRA.
THE FRENCH PRESIDENT SAID HE SUPPORTED THE RIGHT OF THE BREAKAWAY STAFF TO DECIDE ITS OWN FUTURE LINKS WITH THE NIGERIAN FEDERATION.
HE SAID SEVERAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAD ALREADY RECOGNIZED BIAFRA AND MORE WERE LIKELY TO DO SO, BUT FRANCE HAD NOT YET RECOGNIZED BIAFRA BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED THAT THE GESTATION OF AFRICA IS ABOVE ALL THE AFFAIR OF THE AFRICANS.
HE ADDED THAT RECOGNITION OF BIAFRA BY FRANCE WAS "NOT EXCLUDED" FOR THE FUTURE.
SAYING THAT FRANCE WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK FOR A DETENTE IN EUROPE, GENERAL DE GAULLE RENEWED HIS CONDEMNATION OF SOVIET INTERVENTION AND ATTRIBUTED THE ROOT EVIL TO THE DIVISION OF THE WORLD INTO TWO BLOCS BY THE YALTA CONFERENCE OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR.
HE SAID EVENTS IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA MUST BE CONDEMNED BECAUSE THEY WERE ABSURD IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVES AND ARMED INTERVENTION UNDER COVER OF SOCIALIST SOLIDARITY DISPLAYED THE MAINTENANCE OF THE EASTERN BLOC.
REFERRING TO THE WAVE OF RIOTS AND STRIKES WHICH DISRUPTED FRANCE LAST MAY AND JUNE, GENERAL DE GAULLE SAID THAT REFORMS WERE ESSENTIAL ON CONDITION THAT ORDER WAS MAINTAINED.
HE SAID THAT ANY THREAT OR VIOLENCE WOULD HAVE TO BE SMASHED OR REPRESSED, AND TOLD THE ASSEMBLED NEWSMEN THAT HIS REGIME HAD HELD FIRM AGAINST THE UPHEAVALS.
SOURCE: http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//RTV/1968/09/09/BGY507040145/?v=0
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