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ADVANCE
S
REPORTS
A MERICAN
prestige
in
Western Eu·
.f""l..
rope is at its lowest ebb in many
years, perhaps since before
World War 11.
Many influential Europeans are deeply
concerned over the worsening interna!
problems affiicting the United States.
These problems, they feel, are severely
throttling a vigorous U. S. foreign
policy.
According to the
Neu; York Times'
C.
L. Sulzberger, the era of firm U. S.
diplomatic leadership, begun in
1945
and responsible for extensive American
commitments throughout the free world,
is drawing to a close. "Its marrow," says
Sulzberger, "is being eaten out by the
corrosion of American society itsel f and
this cspecially bothers Europe."
Western Europc still lives under the
shadow of Communism, even though
Moscow is now talking of trade agree–
ments, even "renunciation of force"
treaties. The memory of Czechoslovak.ia
is still vivid.
The United States is committed to
the protectioo of Westero Europe. But
to Europeans, thcir security is only of
secondary interest now in Washington.
Watch for intcnsilied drives in Europe
toward ullity in both the economic and
política! spheres. And also for closer
defcnsc collaboration among European
nations within NATO.
Bigger Than Just " The Six"
Few Amerícans are aware of just how
fac Europe's booming Common Market
has come since its ínccption on January
1, l958 -
just over 12 years ago.
According to one source, thc six–
nation trade bloc has now "replaced the
U. S. as the maínspring of world trade."
Surging trade through imports and ex–
ports has madc the Common Market
nations - when viewed as a whole -
the strongest economíc bloc in thc world,
by far.
Few also realize the full economic
ímpact- and geographic expanse - of
the Community. The Corrunon Market is
truly much larget than just the six full–
member nations of France, Italy, West
Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands,
and Luxembourg.
Associate Members
Other nations are joined to it, for
example, by Association Agrecments.
Association is the closest form of link.
lt
involves anything
f
rom little more
than a preferential trade agreement to
little less than full mcmbership. In Eu–
rope there are two associate members,
Greece and Turkey.
1
n cach case, the
goal is seen as eventual full membership.
In Africa, severa! association treaties
are in force. One of thcse is the
"Yaoundc Convention." This embraces
the formcr French colonies in Africa
south of the Sabara, as well as the
formec Bclgian colonies and Somalia -
18
countries in all.
In East Africa, the republics of
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have
negotiated a separate association agree–
ment.
In North Africa, Morocco and Tuni–
sia inked association pacts last March.
Nigeria also has signcd a separate as–
sociation link with the Common Market.
The civil war
in
Africa's most populous
nation has hampercd normal rclation·
ships, howcver.
* *
*
* *
Japanese-Chinese Cooperation
Seedlíngs of a power shift are evident
in the Oricnt.
Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato
announced during the December election
campaign that he had ordered Foreign
Minister Kiichi Aichi to establish sorne
TODA
Y/
form of di plomatic contact with Com–
munist China.
Japan is already Peking's No.
1
trad–
ing partner. Last year's trade between
the two, when all statistics are tabulated,
may top the record $650 million set
in 1967. Japan has been the main bene–
liciary of China's trade comeback since
the cnd of thc Great Cultural Revolu–
tion, and relations are rapidly improving.
Japanese businessmen who recently at–
tended the Canton Tradc Fair report
thcy found the Chinese very friendly.
This was a complete turnabout from the
hostility displayed at the
1968
fair.
Política! factors, as well, tend to push
the two Asían powers togcther. A com–
mon denominator is difficulties with the
Soviet Union. Since the recent agrce–
ment with the United States to return
Okinawa to Japanese control, Tokyo
has applied pressure on the Soviets rc–
garding a similar territorial dispute.
But the Soviets dogmatically refuse to
rcturn to Japanese control the Kurile
Islands, north of Japan, which they have
occupied since the end of World War
JI.
This diplomatic impasse, added to the
growing tension between Pek:ing and
Moscow, might push Japan and red
China toward closer política! and eco–
nomic cooperation.
* * * * *
Tragedy Hits Tunisia
The most disastrous Oood in 2,000
}'Cars has dealt Tunisia a devastating
blow. A series of deluges began on
September 22 and ended October 28 -
a total of 38 days.
"Four-fifths of our land was
ravaged," stated Habib Bourguiba Jr.,
Tunisia's Foreign Minister and son of
the nation's president. The area affected
is equivalent in size to thc state of Ohio.
The rampaging waters killed 542
people, left 300,000 homeless. Millions