The commercial possibilities of a Soviet offer to supply crude oil to Israel for processing in the Haifa refineries are under study, I.R. Kosloff, the Israeli fuel commissioner, disclosed here today. The offer was made by the Soviet Union, through diplomatic channels, to the Israeli representative in an European, non-Communist, capital.
A drum of the Soviet crude oil is expected here within a month for refining and examination whether the Haifa equipment can handle the quality of oil offered. Freight charges and price to be paid for the oil still remain to be clarified, it was learned.
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said today that there was no political reason why Israel should not avail herself of the Soviet offer. France, Italy and other NATO states, he pointed out, are presently buying oil from the Soviet Union and the satellite states. The offer of oil supplies was the first commercial offer made by the Soviet Union to Israel since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations this summer.
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