INDIA AND E.E.C.

Press, Volume C, Issue 29556, 4 July 1961, Page 5

INDIA AND E.E.C.

Preferences Wanted (N Z.P.A .^Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI. July 3. The Indian Government regards Britain's entry Into the Common Market as “inevitable.** usually reliable sources said. But it hopes Britain will persuade the Common Market members to accept, at least, a modified form of preference for traditional Commonwealth imports to Britain. The sources said that unless some way was found. Britain would be placed behind a tariff wall affecting India's biggest foreignexchange earners: tea. jute, tobacco, leather, oil seeds and textiles. Britain—now India's biggest customer—last year imported nearly £150,000.000 worth of Indian goods. The British Aviation Minister (Mr Peter Thorneycroft) will visit New Delhi on July 12 for talks with India's Finance Minister (Mr Moraji Desai) and other Government officials. India has proposed the whole question of Britain and the Common Market should 1 be discussed again at next ■ September’s Commonwealth ' Finance Ministers' conference i in Accra, Ghana. Nigerian Attitude , Usually reliable sources in ' Lagos say the Nigerian Gov- , eminent has frowned on the . idea of Britain entering the Common Market. , The British Minister of Labour <Mr John Harei dis- : cussed on Sunday with the Nigerian Prime Minister (Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa) the implications of Britain joining. The sources said Nigeria objected to the Common Market's political structure, which in her view seeks to keep Africa perpetually as a producer of raw materials for the benefit of Europe. Nigeria has told Britain not to involve her “in any shape ( “ form" in Common Market negotiations. But the sources added: “IL Britain decides to join, it would be economic suicide if; we do not—unless we find an alternative market for our •nmodities” Mr Hare is described as I having received “a rude! shock” when he learned oL Nigeria’s attitude. Opposition in Ghana In Accra, the Ghana News Agency said President' Kwame Nkrumah had described the European Com- i mon Market as “the greatest danger to Africa today. We! should oppose it.” The Ghana News Agencvl reported that he said oh' Sunday night: “Nobody is! against tbe European! countries coming together— i but why do they want to! draw us into their associa-! tipn? “With my little knowledge of world economic problems, it is because they want to enslave us economically They want to make us hewers of wood and drawers of water.” President Nkrumah, who was addressing a study group of the ruling Convention People's Party, last week had talks with Mr Hare on the: implications of a British association with the Common Market. ,