Mr Mondale to visit N.Z.

Press, 7 March 1978, Page 11

Mr Mondale to visit N.Z.

NZPA Washington Agricultural trade issues will be one of the major topics for discussion between the United States VicePresident (Mr Mondale) and the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) in Wellington next month Administration sources said. New Zealand will be the first stop on Mr Mondale’s five-nation visit. He will be in New Zealand from April 8-10, Australia (April 10-11), Indonesia (April 11-13), Thailand (April 13-14), and the Philippines (April 14-15). He will fly back to Washington via Hawaii where he will deliver a speech on April 15 on United States policy in the Pacific region. Officials said final details of the New Zealand itinerary have still not been worked out but he is expected to have talks with Mr Muldoon on both April 9 and 10. His aircraft is expected to land at the Ohakea R.N.Z.A.F. base late on the afternoon of Sunday, April 8. It is not yet known whether the

11 Vice-Presiden t. accompanied by Mrs Mondale, will visit 5 anywhere else in New Zea- • land other than Wellington. Officials said there are no major bilateral controversies • for Mr Mondale to discuss in I New Zealand or Australia Trade issues. probably t centred on access to the 1 United States for New Zealand’s pastoral products and : bilateral positions on current i G.A.T.T.-multi-lateral trade i negotiations in Geneva, will I be the principal subject of , the talks in New Zealand. Mr Mondale and Mr Mult doon will also discuss United States policy in the Pacific > and the world generally. i The Vice-President’s tour lis seen in Washington II largely as an effort by the : Administration to dispel concern of some nations in the t region that the United States ■ had downgraded its relations 1 with the area while concen- > trating on the Middle East, 1 Africa and its relations with the Soviet Union. > Mr Mondale’s tour is a . signal that the United States 1 still regards the Pacific and s Asia as a sphere of major 5 importance.