February 13, 1954
LORDS OF THE SEA: This morning 11 ships of the US Sixth Fleet will sail into Faliron Bay, led by the aircraft carrier Gilbert Islands. These 11 navy ships will sail away again on Wednesday (February 17), to be replaced the following Friday by another 17 American warships. Today the aircraft carrier Midway is to arrive in the port of Thessaloniki, with another nine ships. USA AND ONASSIS: New York, 12 – Mr Aristotle Onassis has obtained control of the transport of Arab petroleum around the world, following a special secret agreement recently signed with the Saudi Arabian government. This makes Mr Onassis a major factor in the US, particularly for the navy, which depends on Saudi oil. (…) The agreement is likely to put Aramco in a difficult position, which is a union of four US oil companies and has exclusive rights to exploit the production and trade of Saudi Arabia’s oil. (…) The US government is said to be extremely displeased over the agreement, given that Mr Onassis is facing criminal charges and has been freed on bail.
