Northern (N): General (N). Economic Attitudes of China, Soviet Union and Countries of Eastern Europe in Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America

A file of reports and correspondence on Soviet-bloc economic activities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The file contains regular reports compiled for meetings of the Economic Intelligence Group, which describe the regular Soviet means of expanding economic relations with under-developed countries as "arms, barter, credit, technical aid, exhibitions, visits of prominent personalities etc." The reports discuss Soviet and Chinese loans to the governments of Egypt, Syria, India, and Sri Lanka; the fact that arms were cheaper and easier for the Soviet bloc to export than other goods; the restraints on overseas trade caused by economic difficulties within the Soviet bloc; and the unreliability of Soviet motor vehicles exported to Afghanistan. The file also includes Foreign Office discussion of how the reports should be edited to make them suitable for distribution to other NATO member states.