asked the Minister for External Affairs the steps being taken to abolish all trade with Rhodesia; the value of total (a) exports to and (b) imports from South Africa; and if the Government will take steps to bring this bilateral trade into balance, if necessary by an enforced reduction of imports.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Trade with Rhodesia and South Africa.
4.
On 20th November, 1965, the Security Council of the United Nations adopted a resolution, which was not a mandatory one, calling upon all States to do their utmost to break all economic relations with Southern Rhodesia. Arising out of this resolution the following economic prohibitions and restrictions were applied by the Government in relation to trade with Southern Rhodesia:
(1) the export of arms, ammunition and military material to Southern Rhodesia was prohibited;
(2) the export of petroleum and petroleum products to Southern Rhodesia was prohibited;
(3) exchange control regulations were put into operation and all financial transactions with Southern Rhodesia were subjected to control;
(4) all imports from Southern Rhodesia were subjected to control with a view to preventing the import of tobacco and asbestos which together accounted for 98 per cent of normal imports;
(5) Southern Rhodesia was excluded from the scheme of insurance for exporters against political risk.
On 16th December, 1966, the Security Council adopted a mandatory resolution which makes it obligatory to prevent the importation from Southern Rhodesia of twelve commodities, namely: asbestos, iron ore, chrome, pig-iron, sugar, tobacco, copper, meat, meat products, hides, skins and leather. The same resolution prohibits the exportation to Southern Rhodesia of:
(a) arms, ammunition, military aircraft and military vehicles;
(b) civil aircraft and motor vehicles, as well as equipment and materials for their manufacture, assembly or maintenance;
(c) petroleum and petroleum products.
A further effect of this resolution is to prohibit carriage of the prohibited commodities in Irish-registered vessels and aircraft as well as participation by Irish land, sea or air transport facilities in the supply of oil or oil products to Southern Rhodesia.
The Government have now authorised the further administrative steps necessary to give full effect to the restrictions on trade with Southern Rhodesia required by this latter resolution.
With regard to the second part of the Deputy's question, the value of total exports, including re-exports, to the Republic of South Africa in 1965 —the last full year for which figures are available—was £178,065 and the value of imports in that year was £1,415,295. We are constantly pressing the South African authorities to take steps to secure a better balance in our trade with that country.