U.S. urged to reconsider

Press, 20 December 1984, Page 2

U.S. urged to reconsider

NZPA-Reuter Geneva A panel of the world trade body G.A.T.T. yesterday urged the United States to reconsider its decision to withdraw from the 18-mem-ber International Dairy Arrangement which sets minimum prices for dairy products, a G.A.T.T. spokesman said. The American move, to become effective on February 13, comes after its strong criticism of a recent European Economic Community decision to sell old butter to the Soviet Union at prices below the minimum agreed price of SUSI2OO ($2472) a tonne. JThe community’s action is aimed at melting some of its vast butter mountain.

which is proving expensive to keep. At a meeting of the International Dairy Council of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the American delegate, Mr Tony Cruit, said that the United States while remaining competitive, would not seek to disrupt the international trade and the prices for dairy products.” A Community delegate, Mr Michel Jacquot, said that the 10-nation bloc entered into contracts with the Soviet Union only for a total 222,000 tonnes of butter, to be exported by June 30 next year.

Half of it would be sold at prices above the minimum G.A.T.T. level and the rest at prices below it, he said.