RUMANIAN TRADE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 April 1939, Page 5

RUMANIAN TRADE

OBJECTS OF THE BRITISH MISSION RESULT OF KING CAROL'S INITIATIVE. GERMANY EXERTING PRESSURE. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. LONDON, April 25. Simultaneously with the arrival in Bucharest of the British Trade Mission, headed by Sir Frederick Leith-Ross, Germany has begun exerting pressure for the early application of the Ruma-nian-German agreement.

Though it is not operative till one month after ratification, Germany is seeking its provisional application immediately, and this is greatly embarrassing officials and business men. Two delegations of German business men have arrived in Bucharest and others are due shortly.

In an interview in Bucharest yesterday, Sir Frederick Leith-xwss said that the delegation was primarily the result of King Carol’s iniative after hts visit to London. The chief aim was to obtain increased reciprocal trade and to smooth out financial and technical difficulties. He added that increased imports from Rumania to Britain should not interfere with Empire commitments as London was a free market.

The Bucharest correspondent of “The Times” says that great importance is attached in Rumania to the British mission. It is felt, first, that the British political pledge should be followed by an arrangement under which Britain would supply Rumania with armaments and, secondly, that Britain should participate in the development of Rumanian resources before Germany monopolises them. -The difficulties in regard to British and Rumanian trade exchanges,” says the correspondent, “have receded into the background momentarily. Rumania wants armaments, from rifles to warships. France is too busy to meet her needs. Czechoslovakia has gone and Germany is not regarded as a certain source for future supplies. "Rumania cannot pay for armaments immediately with half her - trade going to countries with unstable currencies and it has, therefore, been suggested that it would suit England to encourage British enterprise in order to enrich Rumania and thus make it easier for her to pay.”