asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether any progress has been made in correcting this country's imbalance of trade with Communist countries; if he will list the countries to which trade missions have been sent over the last five years; and whether any improvement in trade has been effected as a result of such missions.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Trade with Communist Countries.
22.
Since December, 1969, official delegations have visited Bulgaria, Poland, the Soviet Union, Rumania and Czechoslovakia for talks on the development of our trade with these countries.
A trade agreement was concluded with Bulgaria in April, 1970. The talks with the other countries concerned will be resumed in due course. We have every reason to hope that these contacts will have a favourable effect on our trade with these countries and there are already some encouraging signs in this direction.
Does the Minister visualise any diplomatic relations following these trade agreements?
Yes, I think so. We had hoped to have the trade delegations go to the different countries first so that we could get a clear picture of the usefulness from the trade point of view and then make a decision about diplomatic relations.
Does the Minister think this stage is approaching rapidly?
It is slow because some of the countries would like to talk about diplomatic relations first and then trade, but I would like to talk about trade first and then diplomatic relations.