Its recent decision to acquiesce to OPEC's demand to cut exports has been interpreted in differing ways.

One business leader here even called for a concerted effort by Japan to cut exports to the United States.

That cuts European exports to the United States.

In addition, a war is expected to cut Saudi exports by more than a third, as oilfield workers flee and operations are closed.

Or it could mean cutting Russian exports, which would leave the Cubans short of all sorts of things they need.

The cutback, if approved, would be a response to the seven other oil-producing nations that offered to cut exports by 200,000 barrels a day.

Oil prices rallied on news that the Soviet Union planned to cut crude exports in half.

Other Latin American producers will also be reluctant to cut recently expanded exports to restore Brazil's earlier quota.

The strike seriously cut imports and exports and cost the British economy between £50 and £100 million (£495 and 990 million at 2003 prices).

Some European business leaders and public officials fear that a stampeding euro could trample the economic recovery by cutting exports.