Vessel service talks continue

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 2

Vessel service talks continue

Political reporter

The Government and the Soviet Union are discussing a bilateral agreement to govern possible commercial arrangements for servicing Soviet fishing vessels in New Zealand.

What was being looked at was an umbrella-type agreement that would lay out certain basic ground rules, said the Prime Minister, Mr Lange. It would then be over to any New Zealand company to enter into an agreement with Soviet trading enterprises.

It was not the Government’s intention to become involved in these commercial relationships, he said. The Government’s role was simply to establish a framework within which New Zealand firms could make their own decisions.

The sort of facilities envisaged under the agreement included

bunkering, provedoring, maintenance and servicing 'pf Soviet fisheries vessels from outside New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone. This would include important repairs and annual survey, as well as arrangements for the exchange of Soviet fishing personnel by air. Mr Lange said Soviet vessels licensed to fish inside the zone had had access to port servicing facilities since 1978. Several New Zealand firms had in the past proposed schemes similar to what was being discussed.

In the light of changed international circumstances the Government had decided to take a more positive approach, he said.

If agreement could be reached, the initiative would lie with those New Zealand companies which might be interested to pursue the commercial possibilities.