COURSES ON N.Z.

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 18

COURSES ON N.Z.

Russians* : team earh The knowledge that Ne \ ’Zealanders had about Russia was only about 15 per cent lot what Russians knew abou’ [\'ew Zealand, said the Hrs : Secretary at the Russian Ftr, bassv (Mr Oleg P. Benyukh: (last evening. ' Mr Benyukh is in Chris, (church for'the celebration to ■morrow of the thirtieth aunt [versary of the establishment lof diplomatic relations be tween New Zealand and th> I Soviet Union to be held bv ithe N.Z.-U.S.S.R. Society. I “To mark the celebrations [ in Russia.” said Mr Benyukh '“the four television networks throughout Russia had shown [‘This is New Zealand’ to [about 155 million people [ “The first showing had [been in March, but due t” [public demand it was given iagain in April.” he said. The film is that shown visitors to the New Zealand pavilion at “Expo-70” tn Japan. Russian children first learnabout New Zealand before thr age of nine, said Mr Benyuk! and then there was another course before the age of 15. Russia had one of the bededucation systems in the [world, he said, and the people iv.ould possibly have a better 'knowledge of New Zealand than the average American. Trade between New Zealand and Russia was just beginning with the visit of Mr Walding last September to Moscow. So far there was a big deficit for New Zealand, which only sold sl.sm worth of meat and milk products to Russia while buying over s2om from her. New Zealand business men did not realise the potential for trade between the two countries yet. It could not (help but grow, he said.