FRANCE: NEW AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE MALAGASY REPUBLIC. FRENCH TROOPS PREPARE TO PULL OUT.

Record ID: 646759

  • Title: FRANCE: NEW AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE MALAGASY REPUBLIC. FRENCH TROOPS PREPARE TO PULL OUT.
  • Date: 5th June 1973
  • Summary: 1. GV Foreign Ministry 0.10 2. SV INT. Deniau & Malagasy F.M. at table 0.27 3. SV Deniau signs for France 0.35 4. SV Malagasy F.M. 0.51 5. SV Delegates look on 0.54 6. CU Deniau speaks in French 1.20 7. SV Malagasy F.M. 1.22 8. CU Malagasy F.M. speaks 1.44 9. SV Ministers rise & shake hands, applause 1.52 DENIAU: As the chief of State of the Malagasy Republic has indicated, the revision of the agreements, which have constituted the basis for relations between us, should lead to a framework for renewed co-operation. Such an aim would correspond exactly with the intentions of the French Government. RATSIRAKA: As far as we are concerned, we have wanted to preserve friendship with Franco by erasing the unpleasant incidents of the past. We could thus make away with the present misunderstanding and at the same time open up the ways and horizons of the future. Initials SGM/1902 SGM/1935 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th June 1973 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Paris, France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA18MM7K5V0N3TC7F252RBXOWEM
  • Story Text: France and the Malagasy Republic signed a new agreement in Paris on Monday (June 4th). The last agreement was made in 1960.

    The Malagasy Republic was represented by its foreign minister, M. Didier Ratsiraka, while M. Jean-Francois Deniau, State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, signed for France.

    The agreement, which was the result of months of difficult negotiations mainly concerned the withdrawal of 4,000 French troops based in the Malagasy Republic. NATO air-base near the capital of Tananarive has already virtually closed down, but French aircraft still have landing rights and strategic naval bases will be manned by French personnel for some years.

    The agreement also dealt with the role of the French language in the education system, which has been the cause of considerable political unrest. What was not solved was the problem of the Malagasy Republic's recent withdrawal from the Franc Zone.

    M. Deniau summed up the aims of the revised agreement and M. Ratsiraka said they should look beyond present difficulties to the future.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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