The visit to Peru last month of ministers from three oil-producing Arab states–Algeria. Kuwait, Libya–graphically demonstrates, according to Burton Levinson, chairman of the Latin American Affairs Committee of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, the extent to which Arab economic and political influence has increased in Latin America.
Quoting a leading Peruvian journalist, Levinson stated that such a visit two years ago would have been considered “exotic and folkloric.” He added that a high Peruvian official said that the Arab ministerial visit had succeeded in establishing “firm bases for close economic, financial and technical cooperation with Peru.”
Oil was the major item on the agenda of the meetings between the Arab diplomats and Gen. Jorge Fernandez Maldonado, the Peruvian Minister of Energy and Mines, reporters were told in interviews at Lima’s airport at the delegation’s departure.
Ezzadine El Mabrouk, the Libyan Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, said that his government would support the development of the Peruvian oil industry. His reference was to the construction of a $300 million pipeline to transport oil across the Andes from recently discovered petroleum deposits in the Amazon basin. It is anticipated that this will change Peru from an oil importer–30,000 barrels daily–to an exporter by 1976.
LIBYAN OIL WILL BE AVAILABLE
Mabrouk also assured the reporters that Libyan oil will be freely available to Peru as long as she needs to import it and in whatever quantities she needs it. His statement was in keeping with previous arrangements to import Libyan crude which has been made by Maldonado in April when he led a Peruvian delegation to Libya and other Middle East countries.
Algeria’s Minister of Industry and Energy, Balaid Abdessalam, noted that his country would support Peru’s bid for membership in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), joining Venezuela, the only other Latin American country on that body. It was also revealed that the Peruvian government has agreed to provide technical assistance to the fishing industries of Algeria and Libya.
Abdul-Rahman Salem Ateegy, Minister of Finance and Petroleum for Kuwait, observed that his government is currently exploring with Peru the possibility of establishing binational corporations in various sectors of the Peruvian economy. The League disclosed that as a result of these negotiations Peru has become the third Latin American country to enter into major trade deals with Arab countries, the other two being Argentina and Brazil.
Argentina’s trade agreements were made with Libya last Jan, when a large delegation visited the African country. Since then Libyan trade representatives have visited Argentina. Brazil entered into major trade agreements with various Arab states during 1973.
One of the consequences of the increased Arab economic presence in these South American countries, according to Levinson, is a waning of support for Israel. He added that ADL representatives are in ongoing consultations with Latin American Jewish leaders about the potential impact of this development on Jewish life there.
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