US company weighs aid for Polish sulfur mines

Occidental Petroleum experts met with members of the Polish Planning Commission in Warsaw for exploratory talks about aid for the Poles in credit and know-how to expand their sulfur industry, Monitor special correspondent Eric Bourne reports. After coal and copper, sulfur is a major hard-currency export, and Poland has vast reserves it is unable to develop without extensive assistance for new mines.

The experts were traveling with Occidental's president, Armand Hammer, who had a lengthy talk -- on the likelihood of Soviet intervention in Poland (see related story on Page 14) and business -- with party leader Stanislaw Kania. Mr. Hammer, who has business interests in several Eastbloc countries, said Occidental's fertilizer projects with Poland were worth $30 million in 1980 and could be doubled in 1981. "We would also take sulfur from Poland in exchange for our goods," he said.