Five year access to E.E.C. sought

Press, 5 July 1983, Page 2

Five year access to E.E.C. sought

PA Wellington New Zealand was “shooting for” five years of secure European trade access at present levels, said the Minister of Overseas Trade, Mr Cooper, yesterday. Mr Cooper arrived back after a three-week European and A.S.E.A.N. tour which took him to six countries. He said he might return to Europe in September on a “more thorough” trip if New Zealand did not get the trade access if wanted. The Minister said he expected the September meeting of the 10 European Agricultural Ministrs to look at the level of New Zealand’s continuing exports. “We are going for what we have now for a five-year period. “If we find that in September the work done by us politically and by officials and producer boards does not bring us to the logical conclusion we will do the more thorough and very important trip taking in 10 countries. ‘We’re looking for some security of tenure and beyond 1983 I personally believe that five years is a goal we should shoot for.” Mr Cooper said there was good will toward New Zealand from many politicans in the European Community. They “have to fly in the

face of local pressures to keep us in the Community. There is no doubt that if it wasn’t New Zealand there might be a feeling they might be well off without this particular country that was putting a surplus into their market.” “I got clear indications from these politicans that there is a will to work with New Zealand ... to use the system of Western countries dealing with each other.” Mr Cooper hoped the coming review of the European Common Agricultural Policy produced reduced subsidies, but he would not speculate on the outcome. However, he added, “When you are dealing with lots of small farms that

may run 15 to 18 cows and you tell them they won’t be able to meet their bills, then you are dealing with a local pressure group.” “That is the situation prevailing in France and Ireland and to a lesser extent in other countries.”

Referring to the A.S.E.A.N. leg of his trip, Mr Cooper said a “final resolution” to the Kampuchean conflict was “still some way off, regretfully.”

He said New Zealand would continue to give unswerving support to the A.S.E.A.N. countries — Indonesia, Malaysis, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines — over the conflict.

On the question of Australia renewing aid to Vietnam, the invader of Kampuchea, Mr Cooper said, “we give our endorsement to the A.S.E.A.N. point of view.” “They have cautioned Australia against the aid, on the basis that it might be seen as a signal to Vietnam that there is an approval of the Vietnamese military invasion of Kampuchea.” During his trip Mr Cooper announced a $30,000 grant in humanitarian aid to the Kampuchean Coalition Government which is trying to oust the Vietnamese-backed Administration.

Mr Cooper confirmed that the aid followed representations by a coalition member, Son Sann, in New Zealand.