P.M. optimistic on world conference

Press, 3 October 1983, Page 8

P.M. optimistic on world conference

G. G. SHAND

in New York

The Prime Minister, Mr Muldoon, is more optimistic than ever that his campaign for a world conference to reform the trade and payments system could become a practical reality. This comes after encouraging talks in New York on Saturday with the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Pierre Trudeau, and the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi. Mr Muldoon discussed his initiative with Mr Trudeau during a 45-minute meeting. He said later, “He is very sympathetic. He is understanding and receptive.” According to Mr Muldoon, Mr Trudeau said he was prepared to look at the question objectively whenever discussed by the

Commonwealth heads of government at its meeting in New Delhi in November. Mr Muldoon said he did not raise with Mr Trudeau the strong opposition to this plan from the Canadian Minister of Finance, Mr Marc Lalonde, at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers’ Conference in Trinidad a fortnight ago. He claimed Mr Lalonde’s reported opposition had been the result of a “journalistic gimmick” by the “New Zealand Herald” representative — the act of questioning Mr Lalonde on certain comments Mr Muldoon had made at a press conference earlier. “That is not what this is about. We just discussed the facts,” he said. Later on Friday, Mr Muldoon had a 20-minute conversation with Mrs Gandhi,

concentrating on how the initiative should be presented to heads of government at New Delhi. Mr Muldoon said Mrs Gandhi clearly supported the concept of a new international economic conference and had also suggested support was likely from many of the Non-Aligned Movement nations of which she is the leader. On his return to New Zealand this week-end, Mr Muldoon will start work on what he called an “agenda for progress” on such a conference. He will send it to Mrs Gandhi for circulation to heads of government well before the formal meeting. He said the agenda would basically set out what he believed should be the preparation for a conference and how it could be struc-

tured. Between meetings, Mr Muldoon met chief executives and editors of “Time” magazine for an “off the record” briefing on his initiatives and other Pacific issues.

It has not all been business for the Prime Minister since his arrival from Washington. On Saturday he and Mrs Muldoon attended a Broadway show, ‘“La Cage aux Folles.” Yesterday he went to the Metropolitan Opera to hear the Australian soprano, Joan Sutherland, singing in “Daughter of the Regiment.”

Today he and the New Zealand Consul-General in New York, Mr W. Cochrane, will watch a gridiron football match between the San Diego Challengers and the New York Giants.