IMPERIALISTS SQUABBLE OVER CONGO OIL
- The government of the Congo Republic has threatened to expel two unnamed representatives of certain oil companies who have spread rumors concerning the allocation of contracts,
On January 19 the government signed a deal with the huge Italian oute fit ENI to construct a refinery capable of processing 600, 000 tons of petroleum a years
Representatives of Mobile Oil, Texaco, Shell and Petrocongo complained that they had been in on the ground floor and that the cabinet had even approved an agreement with them to put up a refinery with 900,000 tons capacity. So how were the Italians able to knife them out of” it? Through a number of embassies, they put pressure on the government for reconsidera~ tion.
The explanation for the Italian success which aroused the indignation of the Cyrille Adoula government was that some influential hands were greased,
The government has not yet enforced the expulsion order nor even revealed the names of those involved. According to certain sources, the .. American companies are now holding secret talks with the Italians, Since this is the final court of appeal, all hands are awaiting the decision of the oil kings...