Briefing from ROAPE Volume 2 Number 2
Copper & the Multinationals - Editorial Comment

Comment on following piece. That oil producers pushed-up prices through their unity to create the ‘oil-crisis’ glosses over the reality: a coincidence of interest between the oil producers, the (mainly US) oil multinationals and the US economy. This does not deny the effect of united action by producer countries, but places it in the world capitalist system context. Failure to recognise imperialist realities is evidenced by the conference's discussion of Chilean copper without reference to the US-sponsored military coup. The US involvement is no longer denied. It is known that ‘multilateral’ aid agencies openly assisted the pre-coup economic boycott, and that one of the copper companies was a very active and militant enemy of the Allende government. Had the conference delved into the implications of these facts, it would have found the basis to discuss limits which prevent copper-producing countries from taking over mines. Kissinger did not grant permission for Chile to be kept safe for democracy and the multinationals.