Aid and sanctions
Sir: In his article of 24 July, 'Rhodesia at bay', Anthony Lejeune writes, 'economic sanctions tend to benefit the countries against which they are aimed, just as economic aid tends to harm the countries which receive it.' Neither assertion will stand up to analysis.
If sanctions were beneficial, their strengthened continuance would be welcomed by Rhodesia and the possibility of their relaxation would be viewed with dismay. The reverse is true as would become immediately obvious if South Africa were to join in, thus making sanctions effective. There is no indication that President Amin is finding Kenya's oil sanctions beneficial.
As for aid harming recipients, the 'Group of 77' (120 developing countries), in its position paper submitted to the UN Economic and Social Council last month, called upon the developed countries inter alia to 'achieve at the latest by 1980 the target for the annual transfer of 0.7 per cent of their GNP as official development assistance to the developing countries in accordance with the International Development Strategy. . I am sure that Mr Lejeune would not wish to contend that he knows what is good for them better than they do.
Gordon Evans Gerald Road, London SW1
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