P.M. to assert traditional ties with Britain

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34126, 12 April 1976, Page 1

P.M. to assert traditional ties with Britain

('From DAVID BARBER, N.Z.P.A. staff correspondent)

LONDON, April 11.

The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) will arrive in London today to begin his first

overseas tour with a high-powered series of talks designed to underline New Zealand’s traditional ties with Britain.

It has not gone unnoticed in Whitehall that Mr Muldoon is making London his first port of call since gaining power. In response, a most comprehensive programme of Ministerial discussions has been arranged.

Mr Muldoon, the first overseas leader to have talks with the new British Prime Minister (Mr Callaghan) will meet him four times, and will also have discussions with Ministers responsible for Foreign, Financial, Trade, Agricultural, and Home Affairs.

The key meeting of Mr Muldoon’s four packed days in London will be a roundtable session with Ministers, chaired by Mr Callaghan, at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday. This unusually comprehensive meeting, which can be expected to cover every aspect of New ZealandUnited Kingdom relations, might last up to two hours, according to New Zealand sources.

There is a clear determination on the part of New Zealand officials to wrest the utmost publicity out of Mr Muldoon’s stay and to try to get New Zealand back in the eyes of the British public. Mr Muldoon will start his visit tomorrow with a trip

to Windsor Castle to meet the Queen — the first priority, he has indicated, of the Prime Minister of a country whose Head of State she is.

Mr Muldoon will be met on his arrival in London by Mr. Hugh Watt, the New Zealand High Commissioner, whose resignation Mr Muldoon has demanded and received. Both men have said they see noi difficulty in their relation-] ship during the visit, and Mr Watt is expected to accompany Mr Muldoon throughout, except at face-to-face I

sessions with Mr Callaghan | and the Leader of the Oppo- 1 sition (Mrs Margaret Thatcher). The Ministerial talks willi begin on Tuesday, though] what could be an important session with the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Fred Peart) may be postponed because] Mr Callaghan has called a I Cabinet meeting for the I morning. There is little doubt that New Zealand’s trade rela-|: tions with the European Com-|] mon Market will be the most ' important topic of Mr Mui- ' doon’s discussions, in spite ' of the fact that his deputy,!' Mr Taiboys, was in London recently. But bilateral trade-

ties, outside the E.E.C. context, will also feature prominently — it is known that Britain is concerned about the threatened loss of her preferential tariff on car exports to New Zealand, which matter will undoubtedly be raised. Some tough talking is likely, as Mr Muldoon made it clear before leaving New Zealand that exporters must “shave their prices” if they want to compete in the New Zealand market.

The world economic and| financial situation will be re-' viewed, and in his capacity as Minister of Finance Mr| Muldoon will undoubtedly exchange views on recent cur-| rency developments — especially the fall in sterling and its effects on New Zealand) trade — with the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Denis Healey).

] Developments in Southern Africa and Rhodesia will head discussions on foreign] affairs, though Mr Muldoon .may want to exchange views 'on what he sees as the mounting threat of Russian aggression and on the situation in China, which he will [visit at the end of his tour. I Nuclear questions will also be raised, though Mr Muldoon’s policies on the nuclear-free zone in the Paci-j fic and on admitting nuclearpowered warships are much, closer to those of the British Government — in spite of| the Labour Party’s Left-' jwing — than were those of the Kirk and Rowling Aamin- ■ istrations.