Libya's new government vacillates

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But there is little justification for the company's hope that its new models and 'the trend of the market in the spring of 1970' will enhance its position. LIBYA'S new nationalist government has asked Britain to withdraw its bases at the earliest possible date, it was announced in Tripoli on Wednesday.

Under a 20-year treaty signed in 1953, the British government has military facilities in Libya and an air base at El Adem.

The new government also cancelled an oil contract with the US Chappaqua company, though the Libyan Foreign Minister made it clear that this was not to be general policy.

Joint development of the country's oil reserves will continue, Salah Bousseir explained, 'provided that this will lead to the stage of service contracts when sufficient technical experience in the petroleum industry

Negro militant

gagged in court WHEN Black Panther leader Bobby Seale tried to protest in court against the violation of his constitutional rights, he was gagged and handcuffed to a chair.

Seale, on trial for alleged complicity in connection with a murder, shouted out in court on Thursday that he wished to be allowed to act as his own attorney. In refusing this request, Seale claimed, the court was depriving him of his constitutional rights.

Outside the Chicago court, anti-war leader Dr Benjamin Spock told a rally protesting against the trial of Bobby Seale and his seven comrades (charged with inciting last year's riots outside the Democratic Party convention in Chicago) that the conduct of the trial was a disgrace, and 'evidence of how rapidly we are slipping into a police state'.

Seale's case is a clear example of victimization of a Negro militant. The US labour movement must demand his and his comrades' release at once.

Japanese rival for U.S. Steel THE WORLD'S largest steel firm, US Steel, now faces a powerful new rival.

Japan's two biggest steel companies, Yawatu and Fuji, received government approval on Thursday for their merger into the Nippon steel company, which now ranks second only to US Steel.

This could easily be the prelude to a new round of concentration in this key industry throughout all the major capitalist countries. Soviet troops may stay 'indefinitely' ADDRESSING an 8,000-strong meeting of his supporters, Gustav Husak hinted that the 80,000 Soviet troops stationed in Czechoslovakia since the August 1968 invasion are to remain indefinitely.

Reporting on his eight camp. The duty to defend it days of talks in Moscow This thinly disguised referwith Soviet leaders, Husak ence to 'common duty' was dropped the hint when he greeted with roars of approval stated: from his Stalinist audience, 'We said in Moscow that tinued • presence of Soviet the western border of Czecho- troops as the only means of slovakia, neighbouring an im- preserving, in the party perialist state, is the common positions and border of the whole socialist state bureaucracy.

#IT RADES UNONSIALLIANCE MOTOR WORKERS' CONFERENCE available and when Libyan elements dan take part in various petroleum operations' A further sign of the vacillating policy of the two-monthold regime is its agreement to buy new supplies of arms from Britain-but on a reduced scale.

Like so many of these nationalist, army-dominated regimes, the Libyan government wálks the tightrope between imperialism, the Soviet bureaucracy and the Arab masses.

It may drive a hard bargain with the weaker oil companies, but it will not resolve the basic problems of the Arab people-national unity, poverty and land.

Nasser sees PRESIDENT NASSER of Egypt saw the Lebanese army commander General Emile Bustani on Thursday in an attempt to end the recent series of clashes between Palestinian commandos and the Lebanese armed forces.

According to an official Egyptian announcement, Lebanese leaders had submitted proposals that provide 'a good basis' for ending the conflict. is also a common duty.' who obviously see the conAll car, car delivery and components workers are invited to a motor workers' conference Digbeth Civic Hall, Digbeth BIRMINGHAM lay, November 8 2 p.m. to; Write for credentials to R. Parsons, rawberry Path, Blackbird Leys, Ox Conference fee 5s. a person