Hope held for N.Z. exports to U.S.

Press, 28 February 1981, Page 2

Hope held for N.Z. exports to U.S.

NZPA Washington I The Minister of Overseas Trade, Mr Taiboys, ha< a ray of light in the gathering gloom over protectionist threats to New Zealand’s primary exports to the United States: an unwritten policy of the new Reagan Administration known as the “Brock doctririe.” Mr Taiboys will have a chance to find out just how bright the light is when he calls on the architect of the policy, Mr William Brock, in Washington today (N.Z. time). Mr Brock is President Reagan’s Special Trade Representative with direct responsibility for international trade policy. The “Brock doctrine” says that the United States should not adopt any trade policy that will hurt a political and military ally. This is just what New Zealand, which has repeatedly criticised the United States for agricultural protectionist moves that affect its trade

n I wants to hear, especially at ;a time of new campaigns by s;beef, sheep, and dairy farmulers to limit imports. -I All the signs are that the t United States Agriculture s Department takes a realistic; 3 view of/ the farmers’ dei mands. and believes that furi ther import curbs cannot be e justified. But the political pressure by congressmen 11 from the farming states, f where imports are blamed 3| for all the farmers’ ills, is e strong and nobody can prei diet the eventual outcome. If Mr Brock can persuade t Congress to adopt his doc- - trine, and there are signs - that it has wide support, I then new import restrictions affecting an ally such as ; New Zealand will be unlike--5 !>'• II The doctrine holds, that ■ trade policy and other for- > eign-policy considerations , are firmly linked. It says • that the United States canr not be friendly politically, socially, and diplomatically ; with a trading partner, and!

t then take steps that hurt it i ziin the trade area. -i Congress still has a bigi Isay and for this reason Mr! •jTalboys took New Zealand’s, ; argument against agricul-l ' tural protectionism to Capi-| • tol Hill yesterday. He had - talks with Senator Sam Hay- : akawa, a member of the , I Senate Foreign Relations i Committee and Agriculture , Committee, and Representa-l, I tive Dan Rostenkowski.:' chairman of the powerful! ■ House Ways and Means', Committee. ; : He emphasised to both that New Zealand’s ability ;to play its role in the j A.N.Z.U.S. alliance depended on its economic strength and 1 that that depended on its ' ability to trade. He repeated 1 the message to other Con- 1 gressmen and Administration officials at a lunch at the t N’w Zealand Embassy. 1 Mr Taiboys will call on t the Secretary of State, Mr < Alexander Haig, today and I I wijl leave for home tomor- 1 i row. (