“America Will Not Buy N.Z.’s Food Surpluses”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29820, 12 May 1962, Page 12

“America Will Not Buy N.Z.’s Food Surpluses”

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, May 11. If Britain joins the E.E.C. and New Zealand is unable to dispose of her large food surplus, the United States will not buy it to distribute to needy countries. “We cannot be in the position of carrying the residual responsibility for other people’s production,” the United States Secretary of State (Mr Rusk) said at his press conference in Wellington today.

Asked whether the United States regarded the Com* mon Market as an end in itself, or as a beginning of a world-wide orgMiisetion of freer trade and lower tariff barriers, Mr Rusk said he viewed the E.E.C. first as a political organism. “We regard it as of great importance ‘o see an integrated Western Europe,” Mr Rusk said. ‘‘We are prepared to pay for this. At the same time we must maintain a favourable balance of trade in order to pay for the

running expenses of our own country.” He said the United States was trying to get tariffs down. The formation of the E.E.C. might work against this at first, but he hoped later that external tariffs would come down. This could be done on a “most-favoured-nation" basis.

“We fully understand that New Zealand has very special problems,” said Mr Rusk. “These exports of yours are not merely the matter of disposing of an increment They are your life-blood.”

Mr Rusk spent half an hour in private discussion with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) before meeting the Cabinet this morning.

Mr Nash said he was pleased with Mr Rusk’s “openness,” but would not state what had been discussed.

“We talked about pretty well everything I wanted to raise, and a few other subjects as well,” Mr Nash said. “We had a very interesting conversation and Mr Rusk was very helpful generally.”