PERSIAN OIL DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26986, 11 March 1953, Page 9

PERSIAN OIL DISPUTE

Draft Reply To

U.S. Plan

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 9.45 p.m.) LONDON, March 10. Reports from Teheran say that the United States Ambassador (Mr Loy Henderson) had a two-hour conference with Dr. Mussadiq on the recent Washington communique concerning, proposals to settle the Persian oil dispute. The meeting was at Dr. Mussadiq’s request. The correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that according to Persian newspapers the talks "are doomed to fail” and that the Persian reply will be delivered at the weekend.

Dr. Mussadiq and his advisers are now drafting their answer. The newspaper “Bakhtar Emrouz” criticising the statement by Mr Eden and Mr Dulles stated: “This has no value or importance for the Persians as Britain’s interests alone are guarded. As long as Persia’s representatives are not present in such discussions the decisions are meaningless for this country. The nation will reject them just as the Churchill-Truman offer was rejected. “Persia cannot blindly- refer the question of compensation to arbitration without first clearly knowing its definition and limits. She will not agree to deal with the British Government in the matter, and reserves the right to sell oil without any monopoly.”