Food aid refused

Press, 30 May 1981, Page 9

Food aid refused

NZPA-Reuter Washington The Reagan Administration has reportedly refused to give a religious group permission to ship 250 tonnes of wheat flour to Vietnam, saying that Vietnam is able to alleviate its own economic troubles. Mr Bert Lobe, the Asia secretary for the Mennonite central committee, expressed concern that the rejection signalled a tightening up by the United States Government on humanitarian aid to Vietnam.

Vietnam has suffered big economic setbacks in recent years. The effects of decades of war, poor organisation, natural disasters, and its occupation of neighbouring Kampuchea have sapped its

economic potential.

Mr. Lobe said that the export-licence, application had been turned down by the Commerce Department, which had-said in a letter that the United States Government’s policy was “to maintain an embargo oh all exports to Vietnam except for non-commercial shipments to meet emergency needs.

"Although we recognise the severe economic hardship of the Vietnamese people we believe the Vietnamese Govenrment has within its power the ability to alleviate this hardship by ending the diversion of its resources from economic development to military conquest.”