Mr Marshall to be on hand for talks

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32634, 16 June 1971, Page 3

Mr Marshall to be on hand for talks

(From MICHAEL ROBSON, N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent)

LONDON, June 15.

If the British Minister to Europe (Mr Rippon) in Luxemburg next week agrees to terms for the continuation of New Zealand’s trade in butter, cheese and lamb after Britain joins the Common Market, it will almost certainly be after first-hand consultation with the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Marshall).

Mr Marshall has yet to commit himself to travelling to Luxemburg for the ministerial negotiating session with the Six, which will begin next Monday, but there is now' little doubt that he will be in the “next room” while the fate of New Zealand’s vital primary produce trade with Britain is decided. Mr Marshall met Mr Rippon for 90 minutes in London today and emerged confident that he had received a guarantee of “a mutual con-

sideration of every decision affecting New Zealand.” Until now, Mr Marshall has been careful to keep his distance from the negotiating sessions, but if he wishes to hold meaningful talks with Mr Rippon before decisions are made, it is difficult to see how he cannot be on hand for this next round of vital talks. Help to U.K. There is no doubt that the British would like to see Mr Marshall in Luxemburg. Mr Rippon is extremely hopeful that the remaining major questions of New Zealand and finance can be wrapped up at this coming session, and having Mr Marshall close to hand for immediate consultation would speed the process of negotiation.

The presence of the Deputy Prime Minister would probably also have a political bonus for Mr Rippon both at home and with the Six.

At home, it would reassure the British parliamentarians and public that New Zealand was not being thrust to one side in the heat of the negotiations. For the Six it would be a timely reminder of the importance New Zealand attaches to a satisfactory settlement. Determination As usual, Mr Marshall was reluctant to discuss any details of his talks with Mr Rippon today. He said, however, that he was convinced the British Minister had a keen appreciation of the need to obtain an arrangement which was satisfactory both to New Zealand and the House of Commons. “I am satisfied that in the arduous negotiations which

will be going on continuously at various levels in the next nine days, and which will come to a head early next week, the British negotiators are determined to get an arrangement which will be acceptable,” said Mr Marshall. One could speculate that most discussion between Mr Rippon and Mr Marshall is over the quantitative guarantees which New Zealand will undoubtedly want written into any arrangement. Mr Marshall has not deviated from his demands for a 100 per cent guarantee of both butter and cheese exports over the transitional period. There have been suggestions in Britain recently, however, that the British would prefer to negotiate a high, water-tight guarantee for butter and offer the Community in return a looser arrangement over cheese, which many experts feel will not cause the same problems of sales on the British market. Some indications have been given that such a formula would also be acceptable to the friends who could save face by pointing out that over-all milk equivalent guarantees had been chopped back. This would also make the arrangement more palatable to French farmers, who are particularly vociferous in their defence of the common agricultural policy. Lamb trade Mr Marshall emphasised that any satisfactory special arrangement for New Zealand would have to include “on the record, firm, public assurances” on the continuity of the lamb trade with Britain after entry. “It is clearly understood that a satisfactory arrangement would cover not only butter and cheese, but also lamb, which is equally important to the New Zealand economy,” he said. “In the case of lamb, which is not at present included in the common agricultural policy, and[ therefore a matter for each member country to deal with separately, we are seeking assurances from the British Government for the continuity of our trade.” The Deputy Prime Minister said New Zealand would also seek assurances that no sheepmeat regulation would be introduced by the Community without reference to Britain. He said that New Zealand would also have to be consulted on a regulation because of the present agreement with the E.E.C. under G.A.T.T.

Tariff effect Mr Marshall was asked what effect he thought the Common Market’s 20 per cent tariff on lamb, which would automatically be applied even if a regulation was not passed, would have on consumption in Britain. “This, of course, would not be accepted by us with any enthusiasm,” he said, “but we are already faced with the imposition of a levy into the British market which is the equivalent of 10 per cent. “It is expected, when, and if Britain does become a member of the E.E.C., that the price of meat generally will increase and that a remunerative price on lamb should be obtained by us.” On Thursday Mr Marshall will make a one-day trip to The Hague for talks with the Dutch Common Market negotiator, Mr Hans de Koster.

Ferry off.—The Cook Strait rail ferry Aramoana will be withdrawn from service for its annual survey on Friday. A railways spokesman said yesterday that the ship would return to service in time for the 2.20 p.m. sailing on Tuesday, June 29. -(P.A)