Complete subgraphs of the graphs of convex polytopes

It is shown that if three vertices of the graph G(l') of a convex 3-polytope P are chosen, then G(P) contains a refinement of the complete graph C₄ on four vertices, for which the three chosen vertices are principal (that is, correspond to vertices of C₄ in the refinement). In general, all four vertices may not be preassigned as principal. For dimensions d?4, simple (simplicial) d-polytopes are constructed whose graphs contain sets of three (four) vertices, which cannot all be principal in any refinement of C₄₊₁.