Carter calls in oil chiefs for energy talks

Press, 10 July 1979, Page 8

Carter calls in oil chiefs for energy talks

NZPA-Reuter Washington American oil company executives and other businessmen went to President Carter's Camp David moun-tain-top retreat at the weekend to give him their views on what steps should be taken to overcome the energy crisis and inflation. Mr Carter has already held week-end talks with eight state governors, representatives of the labour movement, and influential private citizens, including the black civil-rights leader. Jesse Jackson. The White House said the] energy experts who went to Camp David included James Akrns. a petroleum consultant and former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Thornton Bradshaw, the president of the Atlantic Richfield Company. David Freeman. chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and John Sawhill, president of New York University and former chairman of the Federal Energy Administration.

11 Later, the White House ■ said, a bipartisan group of j about 35 members from the -'Senate and House of Repret sentatives would go to Camp ■ • Dav id. The President has been at ijCamp David in northern ?I Maryland, near Washington, "j since last Tuesday trying to I forge a broad plan tot over--come the United States" 11 short-term and long-teftn •jenergy problems. He if. expected to stay there \until lithe middle of the week. I tj Mr Stuart F.izenstat, 1 Mr J Carter’s chief domestic policy adviser, told a meeting Hof governors at the wHk- > end in Louisville. Kentucky. ; that the Administration ■ wanted to develop clear policies for fuel pricing, energy ■ conservation. and devej- ■ opment of alternative energy • sources. Mr Carter's popularity has plunged to the lowest level I of any modern President in the wake of oil shortages I that have created long lines at petrol stations and sent the price of petrol soaring.