NO TRADE CHANGES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29487, 13 April 1961, Page 20

NO TRADE CHANGES

Australia And South Africa fIV.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Com/rioht) , CANBERRA, April 12. The Minister for Trade, Mr John Mcßwan, said today that Australia’s policy on trade with South Africa would remain unchanged. He said- there would be a continuation of the trade preferences which operated while South Africa was s member of the Commonwealth. Australia’s attitude to South African trade is the same as that already announced by some other Commonwealth countries but it has been reported that some Asian nations might adopt a tougher trading policy with South Africa and some might refuse to trade altogether. In the first seven months of the 1980-61 fiscal year Australia had a trade balance with South Africa, with exports and imports running at about £5.000,000 each. Both Canada and the United States indicated yesterday that their trade relations with South Africa would not be affected by their opposition to the Union’s racial policies. In Washington, a Commerce Department official said he did not think the Union’s apartheid policy would affect United StatesSouth Africa trade relations. United Press International reported. In Ottawa, the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Diefenbaker, appeared to rule out any possibility that Canada would abrogate its trade agreements with the Union, the Canadian Press reported.