U.S. Asked To Be Fair To Primary Producers

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30108, 17 April 1963, Page 15

U.S. Asked To Be Fair To Primary Producers

(N.Z.P.A -K«ut«r— Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 16. Australia's Trade Minister (Mr John McEwen) appealed for a “fair deal” for under-developed countries in world markets as he headed into his opening meeting today with high United States officials. Mr McEwen indicated that he would seek American support to protect the interests of the primary-producing nations at the forthcoming Ministerial session of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (G.A.T.T.) in Geneva.

The Australian Minister, who arrived late yesterday, for a five-day visit to Washington, was holding his first talks today at a working luncheon given in his honour by the new U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs (Mr Averell Harriman).

Among those invited to the talks at the State De-

partment were the Secretary if Commerce (Mr Luther Hodges), the President’s deputy special trade negotiator (Mr William T. Gossett) and the chairman of the Senate-House, joint economic committee (Senator Paul Douglas). Mr McEwen will hold conferences later in the week with President Kennedy and the Secretary of State (Mr Dean Rusk) as well as with the President's special trade negotiator iMr Christian Herter). Preliminary to Geneva Speaking on his arrival yesterday, the Australian Trade Minister described his talks here as being a preliminary to next month's Geneva G.A.T.T. conference. But he made clear Australia's position that G ATT must do more to help the countries exporting primary products, whereas in the past the industrial countries of the Northern Hemisphere had been the main beneficiaries of negotiations within its framework. The Kennedy Administration has already been given advance notice of Australia's attitude by the Ambassador to Washington (Sir Howard Beale), who said in a major speech last month that the major industrial countries, including the United States, had largely disregarded the G.A.T.T. rules as far as agriculture and raw materials like metals were concerned Balancing Benefits Mr McEwen, in his brief arrival remarks, said Australia would try to get "balancing benefits” for the under-developed nations. He was expected in his

Washington talks to emphasise Australia's dependence on its export market* to earn foreign exchange.

Informed sources said he would call firmly for a reduction in trade barriers such as discriminatory quotas. in addition to a general cutting of tariffs.

In particular, he was expected to present Australia's case for a reduction of restrictions on sales of its wool and lead and zinc to the United States.