CAVIAR NOT FOR THE MAJOR

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 1

CAVIAR NOT FOR THE MAJOR

The Commercial Counsellor at the Soviet Embassy in Wellington (Mr C. C. Gruzdev), on his arrival in Christchurch yesterday from Wellington, moved into a motel in Memorial avenue next to that occupied by the commander of the United States U2 Hicat project (Major J. J. King).

“I have not met the U2 pilot yet,” said Mr Gruzdev soon after his arrival. “I am here to do business. I came to do my job. The U2 pilot came to do his job. I don’t know him or the purpose of his visit.” Major King last evening said he planned to Introduce himself to Mr Gruzdev. When Major King

learnt that Mr Gruzdev had with him two boxes of black caviar from South Russia, two bottles of brandy from Armenia, and two bottles of the best Russian vodka, he said he could hardly wait to meet him.

“I’ve got one bottle of vodka here,” said Major King. “Gee whizz, we should have quite a party.” Major King is temporarily based in Christchurch to investigate turbulence at high altitudes over New Zealand in the U2. One of these was shot down over the Soviet Union in the celebrated Powers case.

Mr Gruzdev said last evening that he had brought the caviar and

Russian liquor to Christchurch for a reception for a limited number of Christchurch businessmen interested in doing business with the Soviet Union.

The reception will be held in the conference room of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association late tomorrow afternoon.

The Soviet Union, said Mr Gruzdev, bought 30 times as much from New Zealand as it sold to this country.

“We want to try to sell New Zealand more goods,” he said. “We sell you watches, sporting guns, alarm clocks, binoculars, and still and movie cameras, but we could sell you much more of these.

The quality of Soviet optics is well known. “We also sell textiles to New Zealand, but we could sell much more. We hope to expand this business. We are ready to supply New Zealand."

Mr Gruzdev said that he felt New Zealand could buy quality Soviet power stations and hydro-electric equipment. If New Zealand wanted them, he said, the Soviet could sell this country underground railway stations.

“We are very experienced at underground railways.” said Mr Gruzdev. “We have undergrounds in Moscow and Leningrad, and we are considering building them in places like Tashkent.”