‘U.S. receiving Arab oil’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33426, 7 January 1974, Page 11

‘U.S. receiving Arab oil’

(NZ. Press Association —Copyright) BEIRUT, January 6. The Beirut newspaper, “Al-hayat,” reports that Arab Oil Ministers have told Libya that quantities of her oil are finding their way to the United States.

i the violation cf the Arab oil! ■ iembargo would reduce the! ■ effectiveness of the ban and • the pressure of the oil weai pon on American policy toI wards the Middle East. The O.A.P.E.C. estimates i that 3.5 million tons of Arab I oil reached United States I markets between October 17 i and the end of last year, the nexvspaper says. i In Washington, it has been; : announced that the United; ■ States Department of Com-’ i merce and the Federal Energy ’ . Office had decided to clamp’ i down on information about; > the origin of foreign oil im- ’ ports. 1

The paper, which quotes a spokesman for the Organisa-i tion of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries for its report, says that the Libyan delegation to the Arab oil (conference in Kuwait last ’month was told that betxveen [6'o and 90 per cent of oil exported to the United (States originated from Libya. The Arabs have imposed a ban on oil exports to the; United States and the Nether-’ lands because, they say. the two countries support Israel. “Al-Hayat” says that the Libyan delegation was also told that the continuation of