Kohl Calls for Solutions to Beef Conflict

West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl on Wednesday called for a reasonable solution to a trade dispute between the Economic Community and the United States over a ban on the imports of American hormone-treated beef.

“Both sides should resolve their problems in a reasonable way in the spirit of transatlantic partnership and aware of their responsibility for the world economy,” Kohl told reporters at a news conference in Bonn.

The EC ban on U.S. beef produced from cattle that had been fed growth hormones took effect Jan. 1.

The United States retaliated with punitive tariffs on several European products.

“Such trade conflicts can only hurt both sides economically and politically,” Kohl said.

He said such disputes give a “completely false signal” for a meeting of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade that will be held in April and for the world economic summit scheduled this summer.

Kohl did not suggest any solutions to the beef dispute.

He pledged strong support for the 12 European nations’ efforts to forge a single European market by the end of 1992.

“We’ve reached the point of no return; the target date will be met,” Kohl said, adding that West Germany will make every effort to assist Spain and France, which hold the rotating EC presidency this year, in pushing through important decisions that must be made.