ABSTRACT
The aspect of OPEC members' development effort which has perhaps attracted the greatest comment in the West has been construction projects. In December 1973 it seemed that most countries of the developing world had been dealt such a severe body-blow that their prospects were grimmer than ever before. Here it may be that the commitment by several OPEC spokesmen to fostering intra-ldc solidarity and trade links is more than mere rhetoric. Some OPEC members were more assiduous in cultivating their ldc trade links than others. One aspect of the low prices seen at bids for OPEC contracts involving Taiwanese government-owned firms is the overwhelming desire to retain good commercial relations and thence diplomatic recognition. In oil refining, the Middle East will certainly be building the bulk of the new capacity in the next ten years, with 120 million tonnes per year of throughput, which will nearly double the region's capacity.
