Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Russia Orders Construction of Siberia-Japan Oil Pipeline

Two points on the Siberia-Japan pipeline.

First the obvious, it is bad business to put in a pipeline that serves only one customer, as that customer then has control over the transaction.

The Siberia-Japan pipeline has the ability to serve other countries and add a branch to China. This will give Russia some influence over Washington who would like to manage all oil especially that headed for China the nation considered the main threat to United States global domination.
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Second, the United States wants leverage over Japan through the control of oil. A Japan under the control of the United States can more readily be used as an ally against China or Russia.

In a world that runs on oil, the nation that controls the flow of oil has great strategic power. U.S. policy-makers want leverage over the economies of competitors -- Western Europe, Japan and China -- that are more dependent on Middle Eastern oil.
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The U.S. is not interested in Caspian oil to supply its own internal industry. The U.S. is grabbing for control of the Caspian oil fields because other countries need this oil--and because the U.S. wants to dontrol them. Other imperialist rivals--including Germany and Japan--are "energy poor" and need access to oilfields outside their borders. Most Third World countries are heavily dependent on imported oil.
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Also note the oil development project in Azadegan, southern Iran, although against the wishes of the United States is important in light of Japan's need for independent development of oil since it lacks oil resources,
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The Siberia-Japan pipeline from Russia to Japan has the potential to lessen U.S. control over Japan.

This seems a smart route on Russia’s part and given what is taking place elsewhere Putin better start building a pipeline somewhere.

-Am



Russia Orders Construction of Siberia-Japan Oil Pipeline
Created: 31.12.2004 14:22 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 14:23 MSK, 3 hours 39 minutes ago


MosNews


The Russian government has signed an order for the construction of an oil pipeline from Taichet, eastern Siberia to the Pacific Ocean to serve Japan, said a source close to the government, cited by financial news agency Prime-Tass.

The pipeline will have capacity for 80 million tons, Prime-Tass said. The government press service was not immediately available to comment.

For several years, there have been two competing projects to transport eastern Siberian oil to Asia — one to Japan via the port of Nakhodka, and the other to China.

Russian officials said in September that the 4,130-km pipeline to Japan, entirely on Russian territory, was the preferred route, but a study on profitability of the project had not yet been undertaken.

Chinese authorities said the Russian government had assured them a branch of the pipeline would be built towards China.

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/12/31/jappipe_.shtml