NORWAY APPROVES TRADE BAN AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA
Norway's parliament has approved an
extensive trade ban against South Africa but left shipowners a
key loophole through which controversial oil shipments on
Norwegian tankers may continue, government officials said.
    The unilateral boycott, proposed by Norway's minority
Labour government, gives domestic companies until late
September to cut remaining trade ties with South Africa and
Namibia.
    "The legislation discussed today must not be seen as an
isolated measure, but as a step in an international process,"
Norway's foreign minister Thorvald Stoltenberg told parliament.
    Government officials said they hope the move will intensify
international pressure against the Pretoria regime's apartheid
policies. Sweden, in a similar move last week, promised to halt
all trade with South Africa by October.
    Norway's boycott, although forbidding crude oil shipments
to South Africa on Norwegian-owned tankers, makes an important
exception for ships whose final destination is decided while
they are at sea.
    Oil cargoes are often resold by trades after loading,
making it difficult for shipowners to know their ships' final
port at the start of a voyage.
    Critics said the bill leaves the door open for continued
oil shipments to South Africa. They called for stricter
sanctions to stop all Norwegian shipping to South Africa.
    Norwegian tankers supplied South Africa with about 30 pct
of its crude imports during the early 1980s, but the trade has
dropped sharply to just one cargo in the last three months,
trade ministry officials said.
    The latest trade figures show Norwegian imports from South
Africa dropped 36 pct to 160 mln crowns during the first eight
months of 1986, while exports plunged 52 pct to 265 mln crowns
from the year-ago figure.
    "Many would say that the law has already had its effect
because of the dramatic drop in trade between South African and
Norway," Foreign Ministry spokesman Per Paust told Reuters.
    "Norwegian business at an early stage started restructuring
its relations with South Africa in anticipation of the law.
    "No one has said the boycott will have a profound effect on
international trade with South Africa, but it is an important
political statement by the Norwegian government," he said.
    The Oslo government said it will review the effects of the
ban on Norwegian industry after two years and may propose
amendments if industry can show it is hurt by the law.
    Norwegian imports from South Africa are limited mainly to
high-grade manganese and coppernickle ores used in it
ferro-alloys and light metals industries.
    Metals manufacturers estimate some 2,000 jobs could be
affected by the boycott is suitable replacements for these ores
are not found.
    The legislation now goes on to the upper house for formal
ratification later this week, parliamentarians said.
 Reuter
