N.Z. publicity for case in Europe

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32539, 24 February 1971, Page 2

N.Z. publicity for case in Europe

(N.Z.PA. Staff Correspondent)

LONDON, February 23.

The New Zealand Government is believed to be almost ready to release a booklet in Britain and in the Common Market countries, detailing tbe case for a special arrangement for primary produce if the present E.E.C. enlargement negotiations succeed.

The booklet will be brief and aimed at a popular audience of “opinion* makers” and the local press' in the various countries.

It is believed it will carry an explicit Government stamp of approval If this is so, it will be the first written statement of official policy to be released for publication in any country. The nearest thing to an official statement of the New Zealand position in the past has been the Monetary and Economic Council’s report, “New Zealand and the Enlarged E.E.C.” The Government, however, has been at pains to emphasise that while it basically agreed with the conclusions reached in the report, it was the work of an independent body.

NEUTRAL LINE According to usually reliable sources, the new booklet will maintain the neutral line which New Zealand has adopted since the British negotiations to enter the Market began. It is believed the booklet will argue that New Zealand is fully in favour of wider European unity, provided this is accompanied by outwardlooking trade policies in general, and safeguards for New Zealand’s traditional trade with Britain in particular.

It is also thought the booklet will press the line that it is to the enlarged Community’s economic advantage to maintain New Zealand as a strong and vigorous trading partner. TRADE SHARE In the year ended June, 1970, New Zealand bought 37.5 per cent of her total imports from the countries which would be in an enlarged E.E.C. If -invisible pay-

ments are added, the cash outflow from New Zealand to this group is more than 50 per cent of her total annual overseas payments. In return, these same countries took 47.6 per cent , of New Zealand’s exports. The booklet will emphasise this two-way trade end say that its protection is a matter not of sentiment and charity, but sound economics. FURTHER DOWN The booklet will also draw attention to New Zealand’s efficiency and competitiveness in primary production, point out that no other markets are available, and describe the economic and social disaster which would occur if no provision were made for continuing trade with an enlarged E.E.C. It is believed the Government is satisfied that New Zealand’s case is now well understood by people in the top levels of government both in Britain and the Six, but that there is less knowledge of the situation at the next level of influence.

The booklet has, therefore, been designed to be less bulky and detailed than the Monetary and Economic Council’s report and aimed rather at people such as business executives, Rotary and local government leaders, and officers of discussion groups and clubs.

The most intensive efforts to secure a wide distribution will be in Britain, but foreignlanguage translations will be available for New Zealand posts on the Continent to use as they see fit Apparently no decision has been made on the number of booklets to be published, but it is believed that a figure in excess of 50,000 is being considered.

As the Six are now giving serious consideration to the New Zealand question and the British are anxious to move ahead, the time-table for the booklet’s release will have to be treated with urgency. For maximum impact the publication should be in circulation within the next month or so, to ensure that the implications of any negotiations in Brussels on New Zealand are fully understood in influential circles in Britain.

The brochure, which will be distributed in Britain and the Continent, is intended to complement the Monetary a id Economic Council's report, says a statement today by the office of the Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Marshall) in Wellington. The brochure will be circulated to “influential people and E.E.C. negotiators, as well as news media” in the various countries concerned in the negotiations. It carries a forevzord written by Mr Marshall, but was prepared in the main by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Industries and Commerce Department.