NOUAKCHOTT -- Mauritanian army men and civilians held a parade here today warmly celebrating the eighth anniversary of the independence of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Mauritanian President Moktar Ould Daddah reviewed the parade.

The paraders held placards bearing slogans: "Americans get out of Viet Nam which belongs to the Vietnamese people," "People's war is the only road for the liberation of Arab Palestine," and "Fully support the fraternal Arab peoples in opposing imperialism and zionism."

At a session of the National Assembly after the parade, President Daddah delivered a speech in which he reviewed the achievements of the Mauritanian people in the past year in developing the national economy and in consolidating their national independence, as well as in other spheres.

Referring to Mauritania's foreign policy, he declared: "So long as we are united, we can struggle more effectively against colonialism and neo-colonialism which are enslaving our African brothers."

Praising the relations of friendship and cooperation between Mauritania and China, President Daddah said, "Our cooperation with the People's Republic of China has entered a positive and fruitful stage."

The President condemned U.S. imperialism for waging a war of aggression against Viet Nam and denounced Israeli zionism, a product of imperialism, for forcibly occupying Arab land. He declared that the Mauritanian people support the just struggle of the Palestinian and other Arab people against imperialism and colonialism.