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| East Asia |
| China’s desperate quest for Russian oil in doubt after arrest of Putin rival |
| 2003-11-05 |
| From Geostrategy-Direct... The arrest of Russian oil executive Mikhail Khodorkovsky has thrown into question a Russian-Chinese oil deal that calls for piping crude oil from Siberia to Beijing. The pipeline is the current focus of a covert political and economic battle for energy resources. The battle is being waged by China and Japan over the Angarsk oil fields near Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia. The Chinese are desperate to get the Angarsk oil because of their growing need for fuel, which some experts view as reaching near-crisis proportions. Japan, however, is vying for the Angarsk oil and has offered Russia financial incentives to build the pipeline due east of Angarsk and closer to Japan. China reached a deal with Khodorkovsky’s Yukos oil company to build the pipeline along a route 1,500 miles to China. Intelligence sources said Khodorkovsky’s arrest was related to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s concerns that Khodorkovsky or a surrogate would challenge Putin for political office. The Japanese pipeline project would go 500 miles to the Pacific Ocean, where it would be closer to Japan and other world markets. Oil industry analysts say there is not enough oil at Angarsk to meet the needs of both China and Japan. Japan is looking for an alternate and more stable source of oil that its current middle eastern sources. |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #6 The Chicoms need to realize that the NORKS are a dead skunk in the middle of the road. There is no reason to keep supporting a stinking road kill. They will have to get over their ideology and start working positively with other countries, if they really want to advance. I guess its some leaders vs. the PLA. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-11-5 9:10:28 PM |
| #5 I see the tying together of Japna, Russia and China in economic activity as a positive thing. It means there will be less chance of Kim playing one off the other. This also undercuts Saudi leverage. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-11-5 8:35:47 PM |
| #4 Oooo - good call... Cuz you're paying attention, unlike most? ;-) |
| Posted by: .com 2003-11-5 6:31:36 PM |
| #3 There are just so many potential messes out there a-bubbling. It's an imperfect analogy but why do I have this 1910 feeling? |
| Posted by: Hiryu 2003-11-5 6:19:07 PM |
| #2 BAR---That is probably a good place. The Chicoms, Phillipines and Japan ought to joint venture the area and everyone will win. But taking other factors into account, this won't happen. Too bad. Maybe a Japan/Phillipines parternership may work, but what will the ChiComs do? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-11-5 5:40:45 PM |
| #1 Japan is looking for an alternate and more stable source of oil that its current middle eastern sources. What about the South China Sea? There have been mutterings that it's promising. If so, then a Japan/Philippines strategic partnership might be a wise move at this point. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-11-5 5:31:53 PM |