CONABLE WARNS PROTECTIONISM MIGHT SPREAD
World Bank President Barber Conable
expressed concern that trade protectionism, at the heart of a
new showdown between the United States and Japan, might spread
throughout the industrial world.
    But in an interview with Reuters, Conable said the action
by the United States to slap tariffs on certain electronic
goods from Japan did not mean the countries were heading for a
full-scale trade war.
    Conable said the World Bank has been pressing developing
countries to open their markets, arguing that a free trading
environment increased the possibility of global economic
growth.
    "We have, in fact, been making adjustment loans to many
countries in the developing world which have encouraged the
opening of their markets and we want to be sure that the
developed world doesn't close at the same time," he said.
    He said the U.S. action against Japan was "a significant
retaliatory step but it did not constitute a basic change in
trade policy."
    The interview came just before next week's semi-annual
meetings of the Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
    Referring to Brazil's recent interest payments moratorium,
Conable also said the global debt situation was very serious
and must be closely watched.
    He said the Bank, which in the past has concentrated on
making loans that assist the basic underpinnings in the
developing world such as dams, roads and sewers, will
increasingly make assistance available for economic reform.
    The Bank has increased these loans, in part because of the
debt crisis that has found countries desperately in need of new
funds for balance of payments adjustment and economic reforms
aimed at opening their markets, encouraging foreign investment
and reducing government's role in the economy.
    "We're comfortable with adjustment lending, we expect,
however, that it will never reach a majority of our portfolio,"
Conable said.
    He made clear, however, that adjustment lending would
continue to increase as a proportion of overall Bank lending
for some time.
    He noted, "the problem of debt was a severe one and many
countries are asking for adjustment assistance because of the
problem of debt."
    Conable, is a a former Republican Congressman from New York
chosen by President Reagan for the Bank position last year. He
is an associate of Treasury Secertary James Baker who launched
the U.S. strategy for shoring up indebted nations in October,
1985 which included a call for increased adjustment lending by
the World Bank.
    Conable also said that he expected the result of a major
study of the Bank's organization to be completed in the next
several weeks.
    He said the decision to seek a reorganization was based, in
part, on the fact that the Bank had come under fire from the
poorest countries for not doing enough to help and from the
richest countries because of inefficiency.
    the reorganization is considered a major initiative by
Conable, and is being closely-watched by the agency's 151
member-countries as an indication of his management style and
priorities.
    "I want to be sure this institution is viewed by those who
must support it as soundly constituted so that it will be
permitted to grow," Conable said.
    However, he said "I don't believe there is anything
basically wrong with this institution and I don't believe it
has to have any redefinition of its purpose."
    He said, however, that it was apparent that the debt
initiative proposed by Baker has given the Bank a central role
in dealing with the debt crisis.
    Conable added that cooperation between the Bank and its
sister agency, the International Monetary Fund, was good and
that he talked often with IMF Managing Director Michel
Camdessus on a variety of issues.
    On a personal level, Conable said that he not feel a need
to put his personal stamp on the Bank noting that "I don't have
a particular mission here except to be useful to the
institution and to the process of development."
    He added, "so I don't feel a great calling to personalize
the institution."
    On the development needs of sub-Sahara Africa, Conable said
that the Bank was constantly reviewing new ways for assisting
the region, noting that half of the recently agreed financing
of 12.4 billion dlrs for Bank's International Development
Association was earmarked for Africa.
    Leading industrial nations are expected to consider new
forms of debt relief for the very poorest nations, like those
in the Sub-Sahara, during next week's meetings.
 Reuter
