U.S. Ready To Sell Wheat To Soviet

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30259, 11 October 1963, Page 12

U.S. Ready To Sell Wheat To Soviet

(N.ZJPJL.-Reuter—Copyright)

WASHINGTON, Oct 10 Presidemt Kennedy announced yesterday that the United States Government would approve sales of wheat and feed grain to the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries. The President said the Soviet Union and various Eastern European countries were willing to buy from private American grain dealers, at the regular world price, “several million tons of surplus American wheat or wheat flour for shipment during the next several months.” The Soviet bloc countries might also decide to purchase surplus food grains and other agricultural commodities from the United States, he said. The Commerce Department would grant export licences for the sales on the understanding that the commodities were for delivery to, and use by, the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe only. This was aimed at blocking shipments to Cuba and China. The deal would involve 4,000,000 tons of Wheat at a coat of 250,000,000 dollars. United Press International reported. Mr Kennedy said the transaction was in the United States interest—reducing storage costs and bringing in gold to help correct the payments imbalance.

The United States had always responded to requests

for food for people who needed it, the President said.

The West should have demanded the removal of the Berlin wall before selling wheat to Russia, the West German Chancellor (Dr. Adenauer) said last night. He criticised Western food deliveries to Russia before the Russians had shown “in action, not in words," that they were ready to lessen world tension.