6
JAPAkr13 BEE? QUOTAS
The Prime. Yinister said today that the 25% increase
i3n beef quotes. announced by the-Japanese Government was very
enaw-raging and-would, significantly assist the Austra. lian
beef ', industry.. Mr Frase..--said that the next 6 months quota would be
50*, 00, tonnes. compared with the present quota of 40y000 tonnes.
The PrIxe Minister-recalled that he had discussed
bee'f quotas with the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Thikuda,
while Kuala Lumpur early in August for the Post-ASEAN
meetings. In his discussions with Mr Fukuda, Mr Fraser had'
stre-ssed that Australia sought greater predictability of access
to tChe Japanese marketb and proposed further negotiations to
Eacnieve this. Mr leu-kudia had agreed that officials from both
ccun-r;_ es saeuli work Clo.-;: ly together to find ways of
S t a I* si' 7the L d 6,
YiccorULLnEly late in Soeterer Australian officials
vi~ i~ cdTokyo discuss-ions which were not immediately
succc* b Il. 111; r Fzasur said he then3 wrote to Mr Fukuda
ex-:~ ezii'' ; oiitm~ t~ and hioping that the Japanese ' Prime
~ i~~ te wo U ak!, e a~ _ ersonal interest in ensuring progress
Vook _ acz Lad offea to sond a senior Australian minister
ki~ its~ . aid tChat Mr Ptikuda had repli-ed
to ~~ i~ su~ sonsand suggesting that
ox~ icilsco tc 4PC! CiU4c; -as-Gaos.
Mr rasez szid that only dlays ago the Government
sent the o'e_ 1 rTth ie Depcar-tsent of Overseas Trade,
jPjr Mcl-' ay, to'-T; Zhyo 2o -Zurthe: neEgotia%' ti-ons.
2.
The Prime Minister said that the Government was
pleased with the results which had now been achieved and
would continue to pursue stable access and growth for beef
exports to the Japanese market.
Mr Fraser said he wished to'thank Mr Fukuda for
the role which he had personally played in achieving the
present outcome and added that the resolution of the
sugar problem and the initial progress achieved in increased
access for beef would do much to enhance the overall
relationship between Japan and Australia.,
29 October 1977