St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-02-23

though Abdul Nasser himself would
not be able to come.
Then, at the last moment, Just
as they did before the Monrovia
Conference, the Casablanca States,
met at Accra and decided to boy
colt the Lagos Summit.
The excuse given was that they
were not prepared to attend a con-
ference that excluded the Algerian
Provisional Government.
The problem Of whether to in
vite the Algerian Provisional Gov
eminent was the first one that the
Conference of Foreign Ministers
held preparatory to the Heads of
States had to tackle This Con-
ference of Foreign Ministers had
the duty of preparing the agenda
for the Conference of Heads of
States, but first Of all it had to
deal with the problem of whether
or not to invite the Algerian Pro-
visional Government.
Nigeria was all for it. It had al
ways supported the Algerian Ma
tionals and it had the backing of
Ethiopia, Somalia, Sierra Leone,
Liberia and Congo (Leopoldville) ,
but the Brazzaville States would
have none of it. They were still
strong tied to French apron-strings
and feared the wrath of De Gaulle
and the withdrawal of substantial
French economic aid. They were in
the majority, so the Algerian Pro-
visional Government could not be
invited.
The Sudan delegation spent most
of its time and energy insisting
that the Algerian Provisional Gov
eminent be invited. When 1t was
clear that this objective could not
be achieved, it walked out of the
Foreign Ministers Conference. Ly-
bya sent a delegation, not to at
tend the Foreign Ministers Con-
ference, but just to tell the world
that it was not attending any Con-
ference at which the Algerian Pro-
visional Government was not pres
ent. This delegation with that of
Sudan went home.
At this stage the Foreign Min
lister for Senegal made a compro-
mise suggestion that the Algerian
Provisional Government be invited
to the Conference of Foreign Min
listers only. This plan was under
stood to have the backing of
Ghana's Nkrumah and the Ivory
Coasts Houphouet Boigny. The
Senegalese Foreign Minister gave
the Foreign Ministers to under
stand that If this Conference has
accepted the compromise, Ghana's
Foreign Minister, Ako Adjei would
attend the Conference. The Confer
ence sat up all night trying to per-
suade the Brazzaville states, but
+ they would have none Of it. They
threatened to withdraw from the
Conference if Algeria was invited
But, at least, even the Brazza-
vile States were persuaded to a
compromise. The Foreign Minis
tiers meeting agreed to recommend
to the Heads Of States that the
Foreign Ministers Conference be
prolonged so as to enable it to ex-
tend an invitation to the Algerian
Provisional Government and other
Casablanca States to attend the
Foreign Ministers Conference to
participate in preparing grounds
for a real All-African Summit.
The delegates of all states made
it clear that they sincerely hoped
and trusted that by the time a
fresh Summit Conference was held,
Algeria would have won its inde-
pendence. If 1t did not, the Cas-
ablanca States would find them.
selves in the soup with De Gaulle,
To take the gilt off the ginger
bread, the Moroccan Ambassador
for Senegal said that the refusal
to invite Algeria was not the sole
reason for Morocco's non-atten-
dance at the Conference. He said
the Conference was ill-prepared.
Many delegates don't seem to
know what they are here for. Some
think 1t is up to Nigeria to make
arrangements, while Nigeria as
sumes the role of host only.
think a meeting including the Cas-
ablanca Group should be held some
time in the future, but it will have
to be properly prepared"
This was the Casablanca Groups