E.E.C. Food Aid Plan

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 13

E.E.C. Food Aid Plan

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) BRUSSELS, April 12. The Common Market’s Council of Ministers last night reached agreement in principle on participation in a world food aid programme—but on a much smaller scale than the one proposed by the United States. The Ministers were meeting to discuss the community’s policy for the final phase of the Kennedy round tariff-cutting negotiations in Geneva, due to end by April 30. Only Belgium, among the six member countries, reserved its final position on the proposal to be made to the community’s partners in the Geneva negotiations. The Belgian Foreign Minister, Mr Pierre Harmel, told the council that he would have to obtain the approval of his Government. The “Six” will propose In Geneva that a world food aid plan for underdeveloped countries should amount to three million tons of wheat annually—of which the Common Market would provide some 650,00 to 750,00 tons, worth about £lB million. This is much less than the

10 million tons originally i proposed by the United ] States, but American sources said that the United States ) was willing to consider a re- i 1

duction of the amount it had proposed. America would provide 40 per cent of the aid granted to under-developed countries, the Common Market 25 per cent, Britain and Japan 5 per cent each and other countries the remainder, according to the proposal. The council, which will meet today to prepare the Common Market-Greece Ministerial Council of Association to be held later in the day, has decided to hold another special session on Kennedy round problems on April 24 and 25.