Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): oil pricing

This file concerns the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil prices, 1976. It contains correspondence relating to:

• A minute from the Energy Secretary Tony Benn to the Foreign Secretary James Callaghan on the urgent calls paid by the Iranian Ambassador and a possible meeting of OPEC ministers in London
• The departure of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Hamad Al Thani for the OPEC meeting in Paris
• A conversation between HM Ambassador to Manama E F Given and the Ruler of Bahrain Amir Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa about the possible relocation of OPEC headquarters to Bahrain
• An article by D W Bonn published in German newspaper Die Welt, 19 January 1976
• A statement by the Prime Minister Harold Wilson on the possible UK membership of OPEC
• The European Economic Community (EEC) working document on future trends in oil prices
• The statements made by the Saudi Minister of Oil Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Yamani and the US Assistant Secretary of Treasury Gerry Parsky on the price of oil and the OPEC meeting
• A call by Sheikh Mohammad Ali Reza on Minister of State for Foreign Affairs David Ennals, including briefs on oil prices and the Conference on International Economic Cooperation
• The comments of J C Kay on Walter J Levy's report titled 'OPEC up to 1980', March 1976
• A question about the Prime Minister's possible plans to meet the heads of OPEC countries
• A brief prepared by the Energy Department for a meeting with BP; and a discussion between R A Burrows and BP officials on prospects for oil prices
• A minute from S L Egerton to Ambassador A J Wilton on Saudi Arabia's oil policy
• A report from the US Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress on 'Oil Fields as Military Objectives: A Feasibility Study', dated 21 August 1975
• The departure of the Secretary General of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) Dr Ali Ahmad Atiqa for the organisation's executive office meeting; and the statements by the head of OAPEC's Information Department Dr Walid Khadouri
• A conversation between Burrows and J R Sutcliffe of BP covering the OPEC ministerial meeting, Nigeria, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the withdrawal of BP from Aden
• The discussion of price differentials, price levels and future site of the OPEC headquarters
• A parliamentary question on whether the Prime Minister would invite OPEC leaders to London
• The comments of Iraqi Oil Minister Tayeh Abdul Karim on the OPEC ministerial meeting
• A report from Ambassador J A Ford to Foreign Secretary Anthony Crosland on the 47th ministerial conference of OPEC held in Bali, Indonesia, from 27 to 28 May 1976. It includes the opening speech by President Suharto and Sheikh Yamani's statements.