- Title: LIBERIA: KING MOSHOESHOE OF LESOTHO VISITS LIBERIA FOR LIBERIA'S 128TH BIRTHDAY.
- Date: 27th July 1975
- Summary: 1. LV PAN King Moshoeshoe (suited) and President Tolbert (in white) drive to mansion in open limousine 0.17 2. CU PAN Portrait of King Moshoeshoe and flags of two countries 0.22 3. SCU INT President decorates King with highest Liberian medal 0.34 4. GV PAN DOWN Monument 0.47 5. SV PAN King places wreath on Monument 1.01 6. SV PAN President Tolbert and other officials TO King leaving monument 1.07 7. SV PAN Huge street banner 1.14 8. SV & CU INT King and President in traditional robes receive guests for banquet (2 shots) 1.30 9. SV Guests seated (2 shots) 1.36 10. SV King and President drink toasts 1.46 Initials BB/2350 DSD/MR/BB/2325 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 11th August 1975 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MONROVIA, LIBERIA
- Country: Liberia
- Reuters ID: LVA302SCHLQ4B6WI1T3KGGSE4YQ1
- Story Text: King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho visited Liberia last week (23 July) to attend that country's 128th anniversary. He was greeted by Liberian President William Tolbert and taken through the streets of Monrovia, the Liberian capital, in an open limousine. Hundreds lined the streets to welcome their visitor.
Liberia is Africa's oldest Republic. Lesotho became independent in 1966 after 82 years of British rule.
To honour the King, President Tolbert bestowed on him the nation's highest decoration, the Order of the Pioneer. Later, the King placed a wreath at the Pioneer's Monument in downtown Monrovia before attending a state banquet.
At the banquet, President Tolbert lashed out at South Africa, which surrounds Lesotho completely. He called South Africa "a cesspool of iniquity where man's inhumanity to man is most glaring and astounding". He said that although Liberia sought to reach agreement with South Africa through conciliation, it still had not ruled out the use of armed struggle.
President Tolbert also called on South Africa to announce a date for South West Africa (Namimbia) to become independent.
King Moshoeshoe said Africa should not dispair at resolving the problems in Southern Africa. He said it was inevitable that eventually all of Africa would be liberated.
Both men's remarks were also directed to Rhodesia whose white-dominated Government President Tolbert described as a "lawless clique".
Lesotho is a poor nation totally dependent of South Africa for its imports and a market for its sparce agricultural output. Some 200,000 workers from Lesotho are also employed in South African mines and provide an important source of revenue to their native country.
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