SHELL OIL PICKS UP CASTRO'S BID
Fidel Castro announced in an interview February 23 that the Cuban government was prepared to negotiate with British-Dutoh Shell Oil on indemnification for its refineries which were nationalized in July 1960,
"We are ready to seek a solution," he said, “if the representa~ tives of Shell come here to discuss the question, We will agree to negotiate | if the a ieataalehah a is extended over a certain number of years,"
"This offer is sincere," said Castro. “I made it in order to strengthen Cubats international credit rating."
_ Actually, the offer repeated the stand taken by: the Cubans at the time they undertook the Sweeping nationalizations that ended capitalism in Cuba,
- There was some speculation that Castro might not receive an answer. "A certain solidarity exists among the big international oil companies," said the Paris Le Monde [February 25], “and Shell could find itself 'tadvised! to adopt a rigid attitude."
If "yrinciples" were involved, Royal Dutch Shell decided that they were not as weighty as its. estimated $49,000,000 in former assets in Cuba. On February 25 the London office of the company announced that it was willing to negotiate,
The grinding of teeth in Washington was something to hear, On February 28 the Commerce Department put lard on the list of commodi-~ ties which must receive a government export license before they can be shipped to Cuba,
Up to now Washington has maintained a thin pretense that Cuba has permission to buy food and medicine in the U.S. and that only "strategic" goods are banned,
The Gommerce Department move blocked negotiations by U.S, com= panies to sell $2,000,000 worth of lard to the Cuban government.
This snip of the scissors should draw pained cries from some of the packing companies whose noses were thus caught in the spite of the State Department. Cuba happens to be one of the few areas in the world where the people prefer lard for cooking purposes. And the U.S, packing | plants have suffered a glut of lard ever since the soap com panies shifted from the old-fashioned . lye-and-lard product to modern detergents.
Directeur-Gérant: Pierre FRANK, teur),.