- Title: SENEGAL: PRESIDENT LEOPOLD SEDAR SENGHOR ATTACKS PRESS CRITICISM OF SENEGAL
- Date: 23rd February 1969
- Summary: 1. GV PRESIDENT SENGHOR SEATED AT DESK (SILENT) 0.04 2. LV PRESS SEATED (SILENT) 0.09 3. CU SENGHOR, SEATED, SPEAKING... FRENCH SOF STARTS: "QU'ON NOUS COMPRENNE BEIN..." SOF ENDS: "....CONFIANCE DANS L'AVENIR DU SENEGAL". 2.52 Initials LD/V/JH/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 10th March 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- Country: Senegal
- Reuters ID: LVA7V98JUAKIYVFOL1V8619XO2FP
- Story Text: IN ONE HIS RARE PRESS CONFERENCES. PRESIDENT LEOPOLD SEDAR SENGHOR OF SENEGAL LAST THURSDAY (FEBRUARY 20) POINTEDLY ATTACKED PRESS COVERAGE OF HIS COUNTRY BY FOREIGN PRESS, IN PARTICULAR FRANCE'S "LE MONDE". HE POINTED OUT THAT THE PRESS STRESSED THE "DIFFICULTIES" OF SENEGAL WITHOUT REPORTING THE SUCCESSES. HIS LENGTHY "STATE OF THE NATION" MESSAGE GAVE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL STATISTICS TO SUPPORT HIS "CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF SENEGAL."
PRESIDENT SENGHOR WAS VERY STRONG IN HIS WORDS OF CRITICISM OF THE PRESS AND THE FORCES BEHIND IT. HE SAID THAT REPORTS TENDED TO ANNOUNCE " THE END OF SENEGAL" BROUGHT ON BY "A MILITARY PLOT" AND THE "GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIOLOGICAL - NOT TO SAY RACIAL - FATE OF SENEGAL." AS FOR THE CORRESPONDENT OF "LE MONDE", HE WAS PART OF A "METHODICAL, TENACIOUS, HEINOUS CAMPAIGN" WHICH WAS COMMENCING AGAINST SENEGAL TO "PROVE THAT IT IS A COUNTRY CONDEMNED TO PHYSICAL, ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND, FINALLY, POLITICAL CATASTROPHE. A COUNTRY FROM WHICH CAPITALS, WISE BY DEFINITION, SHOULD TURN AWAY".
LATER HE ADDED: "WHAT HAS INSPIRED THIS CAMPAIGN? TO WHAT ENDS? AT LEAST, FOR WHICH OBJECTIVE? THE ANSWER IS THAT THERE IS, IN FRANCE, A PRESSURE GROUP, AND ANTI-SENEGALESE LOBBY. AND THAT, FOR MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES."
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