Mr Bottomley asked whether a deal with the Soviet
Union would achieve diversification or would affect the
security of supply.⇒
Mr Arita considered these to be quite separate
problems. Projects involving the Soviet Union
included one to bring gas from Okha in North Sakhalin
by pipeline; another to explore the possibilities
of off-shore development off the Eastern Provinces;
and possibilities of obtaining oil from Yakutsk.
The second and third of these projects were however
at a very preliminary stage.
Mr Bottomley referred to news reports about a
proposal by Japanese businessmen for the construction
of a pipeline from Tumen and Central Siberia.
Mr. Arita presumed that this article arose from the
fact that a Soviet/Japanese businessmen's conference
was due to meet. Mr Hirahara said that Japan did
not see Siberia as a major source of supply.
Mr Wilford asked whether in the long term,
if relations with hina improved, Japan might not
wish to obtain oil from off shore-sources in the
Gulf of Chihli and near Korea. Mr. Arita said that
the first need would be to know if there was enough
oil there. The second would be to accomplish
cooperation with China and the Soviet Union.
Mr. Wilford remarked that the Chinese attitude to
problems such as the continental shelf was not known.
Mr. Arita said that the 2.4 billion cubic meters of
gas imported annually from Okha did not constitute
a very large
amount.
Mr. Hirahara welcomed cooperation both in OECD
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