Representatives from the Spanish Association of Information Technology Electronics Exporters meet with Soviet defence directors in June with the aim of teaching the Soviets how to turn their swords into ploughshares. The Association’s general manager Ignacio Tormo reckons the Soviets are interested in Spain from a desire to diversify risk and not depend solely on US, German and French industry. Any joint venture agreements would also make possible the manufacture in Spain of a few Soviet high technology prototypes, mainly in medical electronics, which are not currently coming to market because of the lack of an adequate infrastructure in the USSR. The Association – of 160 Spanish electronics accounting for 90% of total Spanish exports, also plans an office in Prague from October. Last year Spanish electronics and computer companies exported $2,037m of systems, an increase of 20% on the year before, but imports reached $8,102m, 21% up on 1988. The Soviet delegation, which is going to Barcelona, will represent about 60 firms, all hoping to redirect production to civil products under the Ural Conversia programme.
