Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia remains committed to building an oil pipeline that would deliver Siberian crude to Japan and other Pacific nations.
"The construction of the oil pipeline, leading from eastern Siberia to the Pacific Ocean, opens big prospects," Putin said in a speech before 500 Russian and Japanese business leaders.
"We are going to lead it to the Pacific coast for bringing energy resources to the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan."
Tokyo has voiced a strong interest in a pipeline that would pump the oil to Russia's Pacific coast for export to Japan, while China, also avidly seeking Russian oil to drive its booming economy, has pushed for an alternate route.
"I'm confident that the implementation of this project will significantly strengthen the energy infrastructure of the entire region," said Putin, who was in Japan for talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.
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Russia Will Certainly Biuld Pipeline To Japan: Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia remains committed to building an oil pipeline to Japan