MEXICAN OIL ‘U.S. must pay full world market price’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 17

MEXICAN OIL ‘U.S. must pay full world market price’

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright > TUBAC (Arizona). October 22. President Echeverria of Mexico told President Ford yesterday that the United States would have to pay the world market price — which has risen fourfold in the last year if she wants to buy any of the recently -discovered Mexican oil.

The Mexican leader made the statement during a joint press conjference at which President Fond said (hat ■ America had no intension at the moment of ending her diplomatic and economic sanctions against Cuba. President Echeverria twice refused to respond to questions about the size of Mexico’s new oil deposits, which are reoorted to be huge, but he did say that the oil finds would be extremely important for Mexico's economy. He said that he had. discussed the discoveries with President Ford during the. one-day summit talks that began and ended in Magdalena close to the border. President Ford said that he had discussed the Cuban issue with President Echeverria. and had told him that the United States had seen no change in the attitude of the Cuban Prime Minister. (Dr Castro) or that of any member of the Cuban Gov-j ; eminent. : The United States broke I off her relations with Cuba in 1961, and the Organisation of American States later introduced political and economic sanctions of its own against the island. Mr Ford said that the question of Cuba’s re-entry into the O.A.S. would come up at

next month's meeting of O.A.S. Foreign Ministers in Quito, Ecuador. In the meantime, the United States was not changing her attitude. “Since there is no change in the attitude of the Cubans, we certainly have to retain our point of view concerning them,” he said. President Ford takes up the campaign trail again today in an effort to bolster his Republican Party’s sagging prospects for the Con-, gressional elections next month. The party has been hit hard by Mr Ford’s pardoning of the former President, Mr Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal, and by his proposals to increase taxation as part of his antiinflation battle. The latest poll gives the! Democrats a popularity lead, of more than 5 per cent. An-' other survey has shown that; Mr Ford’s popularity has slumped by 21 points since he became President in August. All the signs—despite Mr Ford’s active campaigning in 18 states—point to an electoral disaster for the Republicans on November 5. Today, Mr Ford will be campaigning for Oklahoman Senator Henry Bellmon. who is favoured for re-election over his Democrat opponent, Mr Edward Edmonson. A tougher task awaits Mr Ford in Cleveland, Ohio, where the Kent State Uni-

versify shooting trial goes, into its second day The Republican Mayor. Mr Ralph Perk, is fighting an uneven contest against the astronaut. Mr John Glenn, the first American to orbit the earth. Mr Glenn seems to be head ing for a landslide victory which will take him into the Senate.