IVORY COAST: WEST AFRICAN PRESIDENTS ARRIVE FOR SUMMIT CONFERENCE

Record ID: 183013

  • Title: IVORY COAST: WEST AFRICAN PRESIDENTS ARRIVE FOR SUMMIT CONFERENCE
  • Date: 7th April 1966
  • Summary: PRESIDENT DIORI AND PRESIDENT LAMIZANA ARRIVING AND BEING GREETED BY PRESIDENT SOGLO AND PRESIDENT DENISE. Initials JGS/VS/JF/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 1966 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Reuters ID: LVA53OEIKVHJLGIO79U4F6C11QMB
  • Story Text: FOUR WEST AFRICAN PRESIDENTS ARRIVED IN ABIDJAN ON MONDAY FOR THE SECOND SUMMIT CONFERENCE THIS YEAR OF THE FIVE ENTENTE COUNCIL STATES - NIGER, UPPER VOLTA, IVORY COAST, DAHOMEY AND TOGO. PRESIDENT DENISE IS REPRESENTING THE CHIEF OF STATE OF THE IVORY COAST, PRESIDENT HOUPHOUET BOIGNY.

    ALTHOUGH NO AGENDA HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE CONFERENCE, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE FIVE HEADS OF STATE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT GENERAL AFRICAN PROBLEMS AND PARTICULARLY THE GHANA COUP OF FEBRUARY. PRESIDENT SOGLO OF DAHOMEY TOLD REPORTERS THAT THE MEETING WOULD MAKE A GENERAL AFRICAN AFFAIRS AND ABOVE ALL THE EVENTS WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN GHANA. GHANA IS CERTAIN TO BE UPPERMOST IN THE MINDS OF THE PRESIDENTS FOLLOWING THREATS BY PRESIDENT SEKOU TOURE OF GUINEA TO SEND TROOPS AND VOLUNTEERS THROUGH THE IVORY COAST TO GHANA TO TRY AND REINSTATE DR. NKRUMAH. THESE THREATS HAVE CAUSED CONSIDERABLE TENSION ON THE FRONTIER AND PRESIDENT HOUPHOUET BOIGNY IS EXPECTED TO DISCUSS THIS TENSION WITH HIS FELLOW ENTENTE PRESIDENTS.

    A GHANA MILITARY MISSION CAME TO ABIDJAN TWO WEEKS AGO TO DISCUSS COMMON MEASURES OF STRATEGY AND SECURITY WITH IVORY COAST DEFENCE STAFF AND BOTH GHANA AND THE IVORY COAST HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED STRONG VERBAL BACKING FROM NIGER, UPPER VOLTA, DAHOMEY, AND TOGO IN WHAT IS DESCRIBED AS THE "CONFRONTATION" WITH GUINEA.

    THE LAST SUMMIT CONFERENCE IN JANUARY ASSESSED THE EFFECT OF THE COUP IN UPPER VOLTA AND THE MEETING REASSURED FOREIGN INVESTORS THAT DESPITE POLITICAL UPHEAVALS BASIC STABILITY AND SECURITY CONTINUED TO EXIST IN THE ENTENTE COUNTRIES.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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