Russian vessels ‘keep to law’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34026, 15 December 1975, Page 2

Russian vessels ‘keep to law’

(N.Z. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH. December 14. Russian ships in this part of the world kept strictly to international law, said the First Secretary and head of the information office of the Russian Embassy in Wellington (Mr O. P. Benyukh) in New Plymouth today. Russian ships had never violated the 12-mile limit applicable to New Zealand. Mr Benyukh, who was on

a two-day private visit, said that as far as New Zealand and the Soviet Union were concerned, all problems about shipping were regulated on a Government-to-Government basis. For this reason, he was astonished that representatives of the Trawlermen’s' Association had expressed dissatisfaction about not meeting representatives of the Russian Embassy.“The most proper source they have is the Ministry in New Zealand which is deal-: ing with the corresponding: Ministry in the Soviet! Union,” Mr Benyukh said. He did not suggest that, the trawlermen should not discuss the problem, but he believed it was important that large sources of resources of the two nations should be discussed at a high Government level. New Zealand and the Soviet Union were both members of the international conference, and on many questions the positions of the two countries were very close. The conference would: soon discuss the suggested, establishment of a 200-mile s zone off the New Zealand coast. “We think it is a proper thing, but it should be established legally,” Mr Benyukh! [said. “We have differences, but. as in any international contact, the people should look i for spheres where they can 'find something in common i rather than something which iputs them apart.” r