The French Government is prepared to loan Israel $15, 000, 000 for an Elath-Mediterranean oil pipeline whether the projected line is 16 inches, as Israel is planning it, or 32 inches as France would prefer, Levi Eshkol, Finance Minister, reported to the Knesset Finance Committee today.
Mr. Eshkol, describing his recent talks in Paris, said a 32-inch line could be built in two stages with the first stage costing $43, 000, 000. A 32-inch line, he said, could carry 25, 000, 000 tons of oil annually, seven times as much as the smaller line, and would require a total expenditure of $60, 000, 000. He indicated the main problem was not the availability of construction funds but the question of obtaining enough crude oil to supply a larger pipe.
Meanwhile, the diplomatic correspondent of Haaretz reported that French representatives in London, Washington and West European capitals have been instructed to negotiate for financial support from those countries for the 32-inch line, with the United States and England asked to assure the necessary crude oil.
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