25 FEBRUARY
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
335

The problem of the terms of trade assumes special significance when
viewed in the context of the threat to our rights of access to the United
Kingdom market. The protection of New Zealand's vital interests in
the negotiations which Britain is now undertaking with the European
Economic Community will be a continuing major objective of my
Government in this year. Discussions are currently under way about
the provisions which will be needed to ensure the continuity of New
Zealand's exports of butter, cheese, and lamb should Britain become
a member of the Community. The British Government has made it
clear that in terms of the assurances which it has extended to New
Zealand it is determined to ensure that the appropriate safeguards
are provided. My Ministers have presented New Zealand's case to
the Governments of the Community and the special nature of New
Zealand's problems is now familiar to all parties in the negotiations.
The formulation of detailed solutions to these problems will be a
major task in the coming months.

Honourable Members, conscious of the changing pattern of the
relationships among the nations bordering the Pacific my Government
will further extend and diversify its ties with friendly countries with
a view to promoting peace and stability in the region. My Government
was honoured to receive visits from the King and Queen of Tonga
and the Chief Minister of Fiji during last year and to be represented
at the independence celebrations of these two Commonwealth countries
of the South Pacific. The appointment last year of New Zealand
High Commissioners to these countries will ensure that the closest
contact is maintained.

New Zealand is continuing its assistance to the Cook Islands and the
Niue and the Tokelau Islands. The forthcoming visit to the Cook
Islands of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh will bring great
pleasure and honour to a community which is entering its sixth year
of self-government in free association with New Zealand. In Niue
further thought is being given to the course of constitutional progress.
My Government will give sympathetic consideration to the wishes of
the Government and people of Niue as soon as they have reached
conclusions on the course they wish to follow.

Asia remains for New Zealand an area of opportunity and
obligation. New Zealand is continuing to co-operate with its
Commonwealth partners in working out defence arrangements in
Malaysia and Singapore which will help maintain regional security.
In view of the improved defensive capacity of the forces of the
Republic of Vietnam my Government is able to reduce the level
of its military assistance to that country.

In a year which has begun with the first Commonwealth Heads
of Government meeting to be held in Asia my Government places
emphasis on the developing pattern of exchanges among Common-
wealth nations and on the objectives expressed in the Declaration
of Commonwealth Principles adopted at Singapore.

My Government will continue to support efforts to enable the United
Nations to play its full part in ensuring the peace and progress of
the world, particularly through New Zealand membership of
the Economic and Social Council. My Government has announced
that 1971 will be observed in New Zealand as International Year
Against Racial Discrimination. A Race Relations Bill will be intro-
duced with a view to the ratification of the International Conven-
tion on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

You will be asked to consider a Bill along lines similar to recent
legislation in Australia and the United Kingdom to modernise the