Soviet plans countered

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 3

Soviet plans countered

PA Wellington Secret talks in Wellington among 15 South Pacific countries appear to have dealt a severe setback to Soviet plans to develop extended fisheries agreements throughout the Pacific. The Solomon Islands and Tuvalu last week rejected Soviet approaches for fishing deals, immediately after the talks in New Zealand the previous week. A month ago Kiribati accepted a Soviet offer. At the heart of the fishing talks is a move to curb the activities of buccaneer American tuna fisherman who have regularly intruded into exclusive fishing territories in the Pacific, creating ill-will and leaving an

opening for Soviet approaches. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr O’Flynn, made the first mention of the talks held a fortnight ago 1 when he answered questions in Parliament on Tuesday. Mr O’Flynn said the negotiations were the fourth round in talks initiated by the South Pacific Forum last year. “The negotiations are intended to produce a fisheries treaty between Pacific countries and the United States which would overcome problems arising from the American policy of not recognising coastal State jurisdiction over tuna.” Mr O’Flynn said that

though the dialogue between the Soviet Union and Kiribati had no direct bearing on the fisheries talks, it could have had some indirect influence. “There are clearly advantages in getting the American fishing policy in the region on to a rational and non-confrontational basis,” he said. Diplomatic sources listed the countries taking part in the talks, held in Wellington from June 17 to 21, as Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Mi-' cronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Western Samoa, and the United States.