UNCTAD initiative
Sir: Your call for " a political and psychological break with the past" to be made at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development now meeting at Santiago and, above all, for a British initiative, "to begin the preparation of a new development strategy" (April 29) was most opportune. Britain is indeed, as you say, in a unique position to give a lead.
For one thing, if in recent years one factor has helped to distort the pattern of world trade to the disadvantage of developing countries (and, incidentally, of some of the richer nations as well) more than any other, it is perhaps the EEC common agricultural policy. Britain — which, rightly or wrongly, chose to play no part in the evolution of that policy — is well placed, and now should lose no time, to impress on her future European partners the need for a less discriminatory approach.
Again, and more generally, Britain — whose interest in trade is second to none — should play a more active role than hitherto in pressing for negotiations on the recent American proposals for world trade (and investment) liberalisation, which were one of the more hopeful_ by-products of last year's international monetary agony, to start at the first opportunity. Was it not Britain's instant response to an earlier American initiative which helped to launch the Marshall Plan?
Coupled with support for plans to link IMF Special Drawing Rights — which Britain was one of the first to champion — with de velopment aid, a lead on these lines could do much not only to restore Britain's weakened influence among the developing countries, but also to set the stage for a joint and more dynamic programme of action to close the widening gulf between them and the rest of the world in the weeks and months ahead.
W. Grey 12 Arden Road, London N3
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