- Title: GUINEA: GUINEANS VOTE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.
- Date: 3rd January 1968
- Summary: VARIOUS SHOTS OF VOTERS AT POLLING STATIONS IN CONAKRY. Initials JSU/VS/MR/SM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 18th January 1968 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CONAKRY, GUINEA
- Country: Papua New Guinea
- Reuters ID: LVAUKO36AIUAAKBXY7KEIMRH2Q8
- Story Text: AT LEAST 98 PERCENT OF THE ELECTORATE VOTED IN GUINEA'S PRESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL ELECTIONS ON MONDAY (1 JANUARY) WHICH FORMALLY CONFIRMED PRESIDENT AHMED SEKOU TOURE IN POWER FOR ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS.
PRESIDENT SEKOU TOURE HAS BEEN GUINEA'S HEAD OF STATE SINCE INDEPENDENCE IN 1958. HE WAS THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THE ELECTIONS.
IN MONDAY'S ELECTIONS THE ESTIMATED 1,830,000 GUINEANS WITH THE RIGHT TO VOTE WERE ALSO CHOOSING A NEW NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. ALL THE CANDIDATES OF THE 75 SEATS BELONG TO GUINEA'S SOLE PARTY, THE GUINEA DEMOCRATIC PARTY (P.D.G.), HEADED BY M. SEKOU TOURE.
BY EARLY MORNING LONG QUEUES HAD FORMED AT POLITICAL STATIONS IN THE CAPITAL, CONAKRY, WHERE SOME 100,000 PEOPLE VOTED.
THE RE-ELECTION OF THE 45-YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT COINCIDES WITH SIGNS OF A THAW IN GUINEA'S FRIGID RELATIONS WITH SOME OF ITS AFRICAN NEIGHBOURS AND WITH SOME FOREIGN POWERS, INCLUDING FRANCE AND BRITAIN, WITH WHOM DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS HAVE BEEN SEVERED.
THE PRESIDENT SAID RECENTLY HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE RELATIONS RE-ESTABLISHED. AT THE SAME TIME, HIS GOVERNMENT INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOW WILLING TO CO-OPERATE IN PRESENT PLANS FOR SOME FORM OF WEST AFRICAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY.
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