PRIME MINISTER
FOR PRESS 23 SEPTEMBER 1977
BEEF, SUGAR TALKS
The Prime Minister talked today to the Japanese Ambassador
Mr Okawara about export of Australian beef to Japan and
about the sugar agreement.
Australian and Japanese officials will be meeting in Tokyo
next week about future levels of Australian beef exports to
Japan. These talks stem from his discussions in Kuala Lumpur
last month with the Prime Minister of Japan Mr Fukuda. It had
been agreed. at--tha-t meeting that officials of both countries
should work closely together to devise a system which would
better serve the needs for stability in trade between Japan
and Australia.
Mr Fraser emphasised to Mr Okawara the very great importance
which Australia placed on this issue. It was essential that
predictable and stable access shofild be avaialable for Australian
exports of primary products. Beef production was not something
which could be changed quickly. It required considerable
long term investment. Sudden and dramatic restraints on
Australia's capacity for export imposed by other governments
were unsettling and damaging.
If beef producers were to be given the necessary stability
in their export markets they must know what the future market
situation would be, some considerable time in advance. Six
month quotas were not satisfactory.
In talking with Mr Fukuda the Prime Minister had suggested that
an appropriate solution might be a fixed quota plus a growth
factor that might be related to beef consumption in Japan. He
believed that such a quota should be considerably above the present
quota. Imports in the year immediately preceding the import
embargo in 1974 were 127,000 tonnes. The import quota now
stands at 80,000 tonnes.
The Prime Minister had been very pleased with the readiness
of the Japanese Prime Minister to agree to the pursuit of
greater stability, and access for Australian beef in a realistic
and constructive manner by Australian and Japanese officials.
He expected that with goodwill on both sides it would be possible
to obtain a more secure arrangements than the one now prevailing
and one which would apply for the future. If that outcome
was not achieved it would effect Australia's whole trading relationship
with Japan.
The Prime Minister also discussed the current unsatisfactory
position in relation to the sugar negotiations.
He strongly supported Mr Anthony's statements in Parliament
this week. The Australian government endorsed the generality
of CSR's case and would wish to see the matter resolved
commercially if possible.
However, time was running out and wider issues concerning
the reliability of long term contracts as bankable documents
were also significantly involved.
On this issue in Kuala Lumpur the Prime Minister and Mr Fukuda
had agreed that an early solution between the parties was
important to both countries.