E.E.C.-Japan talks fail

Press, 16 July 1982, Page 6

E.E.C.-Japan talks fail

NZPA Brussels The European Economic Community failed, to breach trade differences with Japan at a meeting in Brussels yesterday. Community sources said that the commission had now proposed pressing its case for better access to Japanese markets through-an arbitration panel in the General Agreement qn . Tariffs and Trade, the world’s main trade regulating body. The proposal had followed the failure of . bilateral G.A.T.T. talks last week-end in Geneva. Earlier the Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister (Mr ‘Nobuh Matsunaga) told - a

news conference that there was. still a difference of views after two days. of talks. The Community has been pressing for better access to Japanese markets to redress a huge trade imbalance estimated at $l2 billion in 1980. Japan this year announced two series of measures designed to widen its markets, but the Community has said that they do not go far enough. Although talks on trade were inconclusive, both sides were united in their criticism of President - Ronald Reagan’s embargo on the use of American technology by foreign companies for con-

tracts with the Soviet Union. Mr Matsunaga criticised the American measure, saying that it would act against Japanese interests. “It will not be the Soviet Union which will lose, but Japan,” he said. ■ Japanese and European companies will default on contracts to build pipelines to ferry Soviet gas to their countries if they respect the American ban. Sir Roy Denman, the Community’s trade negotiator, told the news conference that there was a certain commonality of interest on the issue and both sides had compared notes about action they may take.