India’s Nuclear Test

 By exploding its first nuclear device, India has become the first non-aligned nation to join the nuclear club. As might be expected, the Indian Government is claiming that the explosion of the device, said to be in the 10-15 kiloton range, was a purely scientific experiment concerned with the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Atlantic Relations

Dr Kissinger’s current talks in Moscow are taking place against a background of growing strains in Soviet-American relations, and a noticeable slowing down in the movement towards détente. Because of pro-Jewish pressure in the American Congress, America has not honoured its promise to give the Soviet Union most-favoured nation treatment, and has suspended several proposed loans.

Middle East Oil Crisis 1973

The use of oil by the Arab states as a diplomatic weapon against Israel has highlighted rather dramatically the energy crisis which now confronts most of the industrialized countries of the Western world. The crisis was brought to a head by the decision of the Arab oil exporters on October 17 to reduce their production of crude oil by 5% every month until Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967 had been freed.

Joseph Camilleri, 'Australia's Foreign Policy: Change or Same Again', Catholic Worker, October-November 1973, pp. 10-12.