TUNISIA: VISITING LIBYAN LEADER COLONEL GADDAFI TELLS PRESS OF PROPOSED UNITY PLAN

Record ID: 588436

  • Title: TUNISIA: VISITING LIBYAN LEADER COLONEL GADDAFI TELLS PRESS OF PROPOSED UNITY PLAN
  • Date: 18th December 1972
  • Summary: 1. GV TILT DOWN & SV PAN INT. Gaddafi down steps into conference room (2 shots) 0.13 2. SV Cameraman 0.16 3. SCU Gaddafi speaks 0.22 4. CU Reporter asks question 0.26 5. MV & CU Gaddafi speaking (2 shots) 0.34 6. MV PAN FROM Newsmen to Gaddafi & other officials 0.40 7. SV Gaddafi speaking 0.43 8. GV Gaddafi & others seated 0.53 Initials SGM/1414 SGM/1422 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd January 1973 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Palace of Carthage, Tunisia
  • Country: Tunisia
  • Reuters ID: LVA17J2OP5RFIJVM25DUB8BM611
  • Story Text: Towards the end of his five-day visit to Tunisia, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya told a press conference on Sunday (17 December) of his plans for the unification of his country with Tunisia.

    During the conference, held in the Palace of Carthage near Tunis, Colonel Gaddafi told newsmen that it was important to achieve Arab unity from the Arabian Gulf to the Atlantic.

    He added that President Habib Bourguiba has agreed that such a union is inevitable, and that the two countries are studying ways of reaching it. The Proposed union was first announced by Colonel Gaddafi during a public rally in Tunis on Saturday (16 December).

    Earlier, President Bourguiba recalling the failure of other earlier unions in the Middle East, had replied that "Colonel Gaddafi is sincere and full of enthusiasm in his call for Arab Unity. However, in my opinion he lacks the experience necessary to fully judge the requirements of such an Undertaking."
    Last September, Colonel Gaddafi and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat agreed on a merger between their two countries. Libya is also linked with Egypt and Syria through the Federation of Arab Republics.

    SYNOPSIS: In the Palace of Carthage near Tunis, Sunday Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya continued his five-day visit to Tunisia with a press-conference. He was thee to answer questions about his appearance at a public rally the previous day. During the rally he had announced plans for the unification of his country with Tunisia.

    Throughout the conference, Colonel Gaddafi continually stressed the importance of Arab unity. He said that he and President Bourguiba of Tunisia had agreed that such a union was inevitable, and that they were studying ways of reaching it. He even offered a union between Libya and Tunisia with President Bourguiba as overall President.
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