'N.Z. Agreed To Be Special Case'

Press, Volume C, Issue 29684, 30 November 1961, Page 13

' N.Z. Agreed To Be Special Case'

(gpeetat Correspovdeat WXJ*-AJ LONDON, November 27. Discussing the current Common Market discussion in Brussels, the diplomatic correspondent of the “Financial Times" says that members of the "Six” have already “tacitly agreed” that New Zealand should be regarded as a special case.

Writing in the “Financial Times" supplement on Common Market prospects he says it would be unprofitable at this stage to speculate about how New Zealand’s special interests are going to be safeguarded, particularly in the difficult case of butter, but that there was “cautious optimism" in Whitehall that a settlement would be achieved. “One arrives at the conclusion that Britain’s present trade relations with the Commonwealth could only shipwreck the Brussels negotiations if the Six adopt a really intractable position in regard to temperate zone foodstuffs—that is mainly cereals, dairy prod’jcts, and meat “From their general reactions to Mr Heath's speech in Paris last month this possibility can be almost exeluded. New Zealand, as Is well known, is the main potential sufferer, but the Six have already tacitly agreed that ah? should be regarded as a special case. “Around 60 per cent of New Zealand’s exports are presently coming to Britain.

1 “Apart from wool, her two - main export products—meat s and dairy products—are t clearly in some sense in t jeopardy and would be liable 1 to lose ground in the United - Kingdom market to Contins ental suppliers if Britain’s t entry into the Common Mar- - ket was unconditional. 1 Lamb Export* “On the other hand, and - apart from private assurances t of special case treatment, the - Six have no real interest in - interfering with New Zea- - land’s lamb exports to Brit- » ain. t “Britain is the only major s export market for lamb in r the world, and New Zealand 1 is the only major supplier" Common Market officials . assessing which Common--1 wealth countries and British . dependencies can be admitted . as associates of the Common 1 Market will automatically ex--1 dude Australia, Canada and . New Zealand, according to » diplomats of the Six quoted . by the "Daily Telegraph.” The newspaper, in a report t from Brussels, said the offi- • cials would work on the as- . sessment throughout the com- . ing week. But according to diplomats, a clear picture of the Six’s thinking was not expected to emerge u - til next year. “Forlorn Hope” Most Commonwealth countries and British dependencies other than Australia. Canada, and New Zealand might eventually be accepted, said diplomats, but it would involve very difficult bargaining which could go or. far months. j The “Daily Telegraph” , said the British sugrastion , that almost all the Common- ( wealth nations and British , dependencies might be offered . association was described in Brussels yesterday as a “forlorn hope.” <