N.Z. man heads G.A.T.T. council

Press, 2 December 1978, Page 23

N.Z. man heads G.A.T.T. council

NZPA-Reuter Geneva

The New Zealand permanent representative to the United Nations, Mr Edward Farnon, has been appointed chairman of the Council of Permanent Rep resentatives of the General Agreement on Tarriffs and Trade. The council conducts the organisation’s business between annual sessions. The Uruguayan Ambassador, Dr Juan Jose Real, w’as appointed G.A.T.T. chairman for 1979 at the annual meeting of the 84-tnembers states.

The meeting was marked by a call from the United States for a special session of the world’s leading trade forum early next year to discuss future work after the end of long-running negotiations for freer international commerce.

But most other countries which discussed the project favoured a date towards the end of 1979, a spokesman said.

Foreign Affair* and exernal trade experts tn Wellington said that the appointment of a New Zealanders as chairman of the council of the world’s largest trading forum underlined New Zealand's reputation as a trading nation. They were commenting on the appointment of Mr i arnon as chairman of the council. One Foreign Affairs official said that Mr Farnon as chairman of the council would not be expected to make political capital from the position. "However, in a situation where the G.A.T.T. multilateral trade negotiations are drawing to a close, the position is very important.” he said. “The results of these negotiations are critical for New Zealand, particularly in terms of access for our agricultural products. “Mr Farnon wilt be in a position to know intimately what is going on.”