Shield against U.S. dumping

Press, 19 November 1982, Page 3

Shield against U.S. dumping

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States should take steps to shield innocent countries such as New Zealand if it released three billion dollars worth of surplus dairy: products on to the world market, a United States trade representative, Mr William Brock, said yesterday. He said the United States had not yet made a final decision on whether to release the surplus, in retaliation ' against farm product subsidies in the European Community. . Speaking after preparatory talks for next week’s Ministerial meeting in Geneva, Mr Brock said New Zealand would be devastated if it was not protected from the impact of such sales. No decision would be made until the Ministerial meeting had been concluded. Members of G.A.T.T. have been holding discussions in preparation for the Trade Ministers’ meeting, on November 24, in the hope of paving the way for broad policy accords in a number of trade areas.

Mr Brock said no progress had been made so far in the discussions. He said it was natural for countries to resist approving measures until the last possible moment in the belief they could extract the largest concessions that way. However, he said, there had not been “the amount of progress that we would have thought would have occurred by this time.” Mr Brock said the United States, for its part, would not count the meeting a success unless there was progress in a number of areas.