NIARCHOS DISCLAIMS ATTACK ON ONASSIS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000600090067-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 17, 1999
• Sequence Number: 67
• Publication Date: January 22, 1955
• Content Type: NSPR

NEW XCIK lI JAN 2 21955
Approved For Release 2000/05/24: CIA-RDP75-0?tAA9ffigQ600090067-7
RCHOS DISCLAIMS
MA
ATTACK ON QNASSIS
A dispatch from. Cairo in yes-
terday's New York Times mis-'
takenly referred to widely pub-I
licized charges. of corruption
shade against the Argentine-
Greek tanker owner Aristotle,
Onassis, by. his "brother-in-law
and shipping rival, Stavros Ni-
archos."
The dispatch dealth with a dis-j
puted tanker contract made a
year ago by Mr. Onassis with the
(Saudi Arabian Government. The
contract has been widely con-
demned in maritime nations as
monopolistic and is at present
the subject of discussion between
the Saudi Arabian Government
and the Arabian American Oil
Company.
Mr. Niarchos refuted, the ref-
erence to him yesterday and
Ipointed out that the charges of
corruption, which received wide
circulation in recent months, had
been made, "not by me, but by
Mr. Onassls' one-time colleague
and associate, iv x Spyros Cata-
podis." He add that the docu-
ments' "supporting the charges so,
made were examined by a well
qualified American expert and
found by him to be authentic."
As to the basic argument over
the contracts, Mr. Niarchos said
that he'had deplored the Onassis''
.contract end still objected to itl
as "being a political crime and l
an economic monstrosity." He
also noted that his continuing ob-
jection to the exclusive contract
did not make him "unique" since
major oil companies and, the gov-
ernments of many nations, includ-,
ing the United States and Brit-
ain, had also protested it.
The Cairo dispatch also said
that major oil companies of the'
world were:=now boycotting thell
Onassis fleet, seeking to force`
modification of the contract. It l
did not identify any pf these com
panies, but in a later reference;
said that Arabian American Oil
Company was operated by Stand-
ard.Qil Company (New Jersey),
Socony - Vacuum Oil Company,
Standard Ol,Company of' Cali
fornia and the Texas Company.
An official of ?Socony-Vacuum
said last night that there was no
basis for the boycott, statement
and that his co pany had en-
gaged In no boycott activities.
CPYRGHT
Approved For Release 2000/05/24: CIA-RDP75-00149R000600090067-7