Effort Being Made By United States To Overcome Deadlock Threatening Wheat Agreement

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 February 1949, Page 5

Effort Being Made By United States To Overcome Deadlock Threatening Wheat Agreement

ACTION AT HIGH LEVEL WASHINGTON, Feb. 14 (Ree. (> pm).—The Secretary of State (Mr. Acheson) attempted today to break the deadlock which is threatening to wreck the chances of the current International Wheat Conference reaching a new international wheat agreement. Mr. Acheson conferred w'th Sir Oliver Franks, British Ambassador, to discuss ways and means of averting the impasse which has developed between importer end exporter nations at the conference. It was the first time that wheat discussions had reached such a high diplomatic plane. Mr. Acheson’s initiative indicated the importance the United States Government attaches to obtaining an agreement at a time

when a wheat surplus threatens prosperity of American agriculture. Britain was called to the State Department today as spokesman for importers, who, from the outset, have regarded the present world wheat situation as an opportunity to insist upon substantial reduction in the two dollar maximum fixed under the 1948 agreement. The United States, as spokesman for exporters, who have already offered some compromise, has recently been displaying similar inflexibility and a breakdown in negotiations has threatened. Although Britain is asking for certain other concessions, the maximum price is the main source of difference at present. Mr. Acheson is understood to have explained to Sir Oliver Franks today that importers had adopted too rigid an attitude in their demands, and appealed that the United States “should be met half way.”