The Press MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1976. Mr Muldoon on a wider stage

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34126, 12 April 1976, Page 16

The Press MONDAY, APRIL 12, 1976. Mr Muldoon on a wider stage

Mr Muldoon is making his appearance this week on a wider stage. In four months as Prime Minister he has stirred strong reactions among New Zealanders. Abroad, he may be expected to adopt a more conciliatory tone, although it will do no harm if his abundant energy is used to remind the leaders of much larger countries of New Zealand’s interests and difficulties. Mr Muldoon will have the opportunity to learn a good deal, too. His most important visits are to Britain and Japan: in both countries New Zealand rates rather less attention than New Zealanders believe this country deserves. Mr Muldoon cannot expect to transform official attitudes towards this country: this will only be achieved by patient negotiations between officials and Ministers of the appropriate departments. In Britain a new Prime Minister has been in office for only a week; in Japan, senior Ministers have had their authority eroded by scandals arising from dealings with the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. In both instances Mr Muldoon’s visit will seem to be of relatively minor importance, vet it is his job to impress upon the leaders of other countries that New Zealand’s interests deserve their attention. The Prime Minister’s European travels will be justified if he reminds the British and French Governments that New Zealand still desenes at least a second thought as the agricultural policies of the E.E.C. are being developed. Contraction of New Zealand’s guaranteed market appears to be inevitable, the speed of the contraction should be negotiable. In Japan. Mr Muldoon will also be concerned with trading arrangements. Sharp variations in the Japanese demand for New Zealand’s primary exports have played a significant part in the unbalancing of New Zealand’s terms of trade. New Zealand is a very small market for Japanese exports. The Japanese do not have to be reminded of their dependence on food imports: but thev should be urged to accept the idea that New Zealand will be a willing supplier of food for a very long time. In return for assurances of food supplies for a population. they can hardly hope to feed themselves, the Japanese should look favourably on long-term contracts at advantageous prices. New Zealand is certainly capable of offering such contracts.

The need for Mr Muldoon to visit South Korea and China is less obvious. The South Korean visit may even prove to be something of a political embarrassment, although the prospect of increased exports cannot be overlooked. In spite of internal political difficulties. South Korea’s economy and standard of living are improving rapidly. In China Mr Muldoon will be confronted with bewildering political changes, but he is likely to find a warm welcome, not because of any special Chinese sympathy for New Zealand or its Prime Minister, but because Mr Muldoon has made no secret of his mistrust of Russian intentions in the Far East and the Indian Ocean. Mr Muldoon’s alarm is probably well justified, but it would be foolish to assume that the Chinese are significantly less ambitious in the region than the Russians. Some improvement in trade with China would be a welcome bonus from the visit, provided it does not entail barter arrangements which might interefere with this country’s trade with more promising markets.

This week, while Mr Muldoon is away, the American Secretary of Agriculture (Dr Butz) will be in New Zealand. Improved access for New Zealand primary exports in the United States, and especially for beef, could be as important for this country as any improvement in trade with the countries Mr Muldoon will visit. Before he left, Mr Muldoon was not backward in assuring other official American visitors' of this country’s partnership with the United States. If Dr Butz can be persuaded to encourage better opportunities for New Zealand exports to the United States, more New Zealanders may be persuaded that Mr Muldoon’s attitute is justified by more than concern for defence arrangements. Mr Butz’s visit should also remind this country that Mr Muldoon’s visiting list by no means exhausts the major centres of NeVv Zealand’s interests.