N.Z. NEEDS AFTER E.E.C. Britain May Seek Clear Statement

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31530, 18 November 1967, Page 40

N.Z. NEEDS AFTER E.E.C. Britain May Seek Clear Statement

(From the London correspondent of “The Press’') LONDON, November 17. The question of what New Zealand would accept as a reasonable safeguard for her economic future if Britain joined the European Common Market will be raised at least indirectly with the Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Marshall) when he visits London later this month.

This may be the most important aspect of his talks. Reports from informed sources in London indicate that the British Government would like New Zealand to be more explicit about this vital question.

One argument is that the “friends of New Zealand” in Whitehall and elsewhere would thus have a more definable case to argue in be-hind-the-scenes preparations for negotiations for British entry to the Market.

The Permanent Secretary to the British Ministry of Agriculture, Sir John Winifrlth, who will arrive in New Zealand on November 21, may make this point during his talks in Wellington. Persuasive as the case may be for a more positive indication of the “special safeguards” New Zealand requires, Mr Marshall may be neither willing nor ready to give it. The basic New Zealand attitude is that the safeguards must be nothing less than the assurance of access for the present volume of primary produce exports to Britain. Mr Marshall may well feel, with the full support of his advisers, that any departure from this position would mean that New Zealand was prepared to move to the “second line” in the battle to maintain her traditional trade rights. The difficulty the New Zealand Government has faced in considering any such step since the British Government began its attempt to join the Market is that any suggestions it makes on safeguards will immediately become the maximum that it can expect to attain.

This is why the New Zealand case has so far been

stated as a blanket proposition, and why New Zealand has made no statement of position on the possible solutions put forward in the House of Commons six months ago by the British Prime Minister (Mr Wilson).

The three areas In which Mr Wilson said that a solution to the New Zealand problem might be found were the association of New Zealand with the E.E.C., the establishment of Moroccantype protocols (which gave special treatment to Morocco

because of her dependence on the French market) and entry for major New Zealand products either levy-free or at a reduced level of levies. So far, New Zealand has undertaken only to “explore” these ideas. “Friends of New Zealand" may be helped by an indication of which of these possibilities, or other possibilities, they should work for; but, depending on what Mr Marshall learns In London, the New Zealand Government is likely to feel that such an initiative would be too hazardous.

Meanwhile, however uncertain it may be that negotiations for British membership will start this year, it is widely agreed among informed sources in London that New Zealand must continue to act as if they will.