OIL CRISIS IN PERSIA

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26493, 7 August 1951, Page 7

OIL CRISIS IN PERSIA

Preliminary Talks In Teheran (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, August 6. The Teheran correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that it is believed that Britain’s Lord Privy Seal (Mr Richard Stokes) and the Persian Prime Minister (Dr. Mussadiq) made a preliminary survey of the problems confronting them at their “courtesy meeting” yesterday.

Mr Stokes and the other members of the British delegation are expected to leave Teheran for Abadan to-morrow, returning on Wednesday.

The opening of the official talks on the future of Persia’s oil industry is expected to take place next Thursday.

Earlier reports said that the Persian Parliament gave tacit approval to the derision of Dr. Mussadiq to open the oil talks with Britain. Nationalist extremists Interrupted him during his report on the decision, but they aid not force a vote of confidence against him. which is taken to mean that ha has received Parliamentary approval. The extremists were expected to force a confidence vote on their claim that Dr. Mussadiq had betrayed Per-

sian interests in agreeing to the talks. One Nationalist extremist shouted that Dr. Mussadiq was a ’’worse traitor than those who signed the 1933 concession agreement with the Angtofranian Oil Company." „ x The Prime Minister said: Let me go ahead and reserve judgment till I come before you with the results of the talks- I am sure the matter will be settled to everyone’s satisfaction. The Government announced later that the oil talks delegation would be headed by the Finance Minister (Mr All Varastoh) who led the delegation in the abortive discussion with the Analo-franian Oil Company directors in June. Visit to Abadan Mr Richard Stokes, who is leading Britain’s negotiation commission, has announced that he will be accompanied by Mr Averelj Harriman, Mr Truman’s personal representative, when he visits the Abadan oilfield. The first meeting between the Persians and the British has not yet been fixed. Major Charles Capper, the British Consul-General in Khoromshahr, said to-day that Mr Hussein Makki, head of the Persian take-over commission, must go back to Teheran to relieve the tension in the oilfields, his officials ind some of the company $ Persian apprentices were a source of pinpricks which were more often sleagehammered blows. It was reported to Teheran on Friday that Mr Makki was returning there for medical reasons, but he gave no indication of returning when he said in Abadan to-day that Mr Stokes would be a welcome guest if he viSlteMMtokes had a MEminutes meeting with Dr. Mussadiq to-day, and later lunched with the Shah,