Rich, poor set to clash

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 6

Rich, poor set to clash

NZPA-Reuter Manila Rich and poor countries have drawn clear battle lines in the fight over protectionism at the scheduled monthlong United Nations Conference on Trade and Development designed to bring; them closer together. West Germany delivered; the first tough words to I parry a hail of developing! country thrusts against trade: protectionism by the industrialised nations. As delegates split up into

eight negotiating teams for talks behind closed doors, West Germany put the case for the developed world, warning the “have nots” that unfair criticism would not be accepted. The West German Econ-

omy Minister (Count Otto Lambsdorff) warned the developing nations that inaccurate and offensive attacks just made it more difficult for the industrialised nations to justify aid spending to their voters. The clear pattern which emerged from speeches was that while the European nations were saying that! progress had been made on trade regulations to help the! developing world and further efforts were on course, the Third World feels frustrated and disappointed and believes much more can be done. Already lined up on the industrialised side are West Germany, France, Britain, and Canada, facing the opposition of practically every

speaker so far, includmt Australia and New Zealand which both came dowl firmly on the Third World) side on the question of en ding trade protectionism. The two main industrial (Powers, the United State land Japan, and the Sovie bloc have yet to make theii (position clear. The World Bank preside™ (Mr Robert McNamara! [yesterday denounced grow ing trade protectionism, tei* ing it self-defeating on < global scale.

Mr McNamara said that unless the “gathering mo mentum” of protectionist! was resisted and rolled bad 25 years progress in work economic development an< co-operation could be under mined.