Last-ditch bid to save oil talks

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33817, 14 April 1975, Page 17

Last-ditch bid to save oil talks

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

PARIS, April 13.

A last-ditch attempt to save plans for a world energy conference later this year was being made today by the principal oilconsuming and producing nations after a hectic day of near break-down.

The new move was. spurred by talks in Algiers between President Giscard d’Estaing of France and the Algerian Prime Minister (Mr Boumedienne), who discussed means of breaking the deadlock in the weeklong preparatory talks in Paris.

The compromise suggestion was presented to Mr Charles Robinson, United States Under-secretary of State for Economic Affairs and head of. his country’s delegation, by Mr Louis de Guiringaud, French president of the preparatory talks.

Intensive consultations between various delegations and lobby activity lasted! through the night in a deter-! mined bid to prevent the! meeting from foundering.

The United States. Japan, and the Common . Market, representing the industrialised consumer countries, were standing fast against demands by the oil-producing and developing countries, led by Algeria, that the scope of the proposed conference

should be widened to include raw materials and foodstuffs.

The consumer nations made what they considered a big concession when they agreed to discuss raw materials, but insisted that the focus should be on oil and other energy problems.

President Giscard d’Estaing, who has sponsored the preparatory meeting. said before leaving Algiers last night that France and Algeria had agreed on the composition and the agenda for the full-scale conference.

They also agreed on the need for an examination of the problems concerning raw materials.

Abu Dhabi has abandoned: all immediate plans for full; State ownership of its oil; industry, the United Arab; Emirates Oil Minister (Mr! Mana Al Oteiba) said! tonight. Mr Oteiba said Abu Dhabi I had neither the technical nor! the administrative ability to; run its own oil-fields.