French Minister to visit N.Z.

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33777, 25 February 1975, Page 13

French Minister to visit N.Z.

Z.P A. Staff Correspondent) PARIS, February 23. The French Minister of Overseas Trade (Mr Norbert Segard) is expected to visit New Zealand later this year.

The Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) said after top level talks in Paris that the French were anxious to reduce their trade imbalance with New Zealand. A Minister would visit Wellington to discuss ways this might be achieved.

Mr Rowling said the French were interested in taking part in a number ofj big projects, including the petro-chemical industry, development of Kapuni gas, and an underground transport system for Auckland. But the Prime Minister emphasised at a press conference that French exports to New Zealand had risen 66 per cent in terms of value last year, and the trade imbalance had been reduced from four-to-one in New Zea-: land’s favour to two-to-one. ■ New Zealand figures show that in the year ended last June. New Zealand sold , s37m worth of goods to France, mainly wool, hides and skins, casein, tallow, fruit and meat. In return. French exports to New Zealand were worth about slßm. They were mainly motor vehicles, heavy: machinery, raw materials, j and alcoholic liquor. While in Paris, Mr Rowl-j

ling has pointed out that opportunities for French exporters to New Zealand will increase as British preferential tariffs disappear because of Britain’s entry to the European Common Mar- : ket. }