"PARTNERS FOR PROGRESS" A BI-ANNUAL TRADE EXHIBITION FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES - OPENED IN WEST BERLIN TODAY (THURSDAY) WITH A RECORD 56 COUNTRIES TAKING PART. THERE ARE MORE THAN 10,000 EXHIBITS ON SHOW, RANGING FROM THAT HANDWOVEN SILK TO MODERN TRANSISTOR RADIOS FROM HONG KONG.

THE ORGANISERS OF THE SHOW SAY IT WILL PROVIDE BUYERS FROM EUROPEAN AND OTHER COUNTRIES WITH THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING ABLE TO VIEW PRODUCTS FROM AFRICAN, ASIAN AND LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES UNDER THE SAME ROOF. IN ADDITION TO THE OFFICIAL STATE-ORGANISED EXPORT SHOWS, THERE ARE 250 PRIVATE FIRMS TAKING PART.

THIS IS THE 6TH "PARTNERS FOR PROGRESS" EXHIBITION TO BE HELD, AND IT WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE SIXTH OF NEXT MONTH. THE MAJOR INTEREST IN THE SHOW IS EXPECTED TO COME FROM WEST GERMAN IMPORTS FROM THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A BIG SURPLUS IN THEIR TRADING WITH WEST GERMANY.

WEST GERMANY IS BUYING A WIDE VARIETY OF AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIALS AS WELL AS COFFEE AND COCOA FROM THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES.