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Koizumi to Talk Uzbekistan Out Of Russia
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi arrived in Uzbekistan Tuesday as part of his four-day trip to Central Asia. Of all leaders of democratic states, Koizumi was the first to meet Uzbek President Islam Karimov after the Andijan bloodshed. Actually, this conciliatory attitude to Koizumi signals Japan has unleashed the battle against Russia for crude oil and gas of Central Asia. More likely than not, Tokyo is led by Washington in this challenge.
Though enwreathed in smiles, neither Koizumi nor Karimov spoke of some definite points canvassed during the talks, when they showed before the reporters after negotiations. The compliments paid by the Japanese leader to Karimov echoed the language he had used a day before in Kazakh capital Astana, aiming it at President Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Fortunately, Nazarbayev proved less elusive than his Uzbek counterpart and informed the public at large about negotiated matters. He said Kazakhstan and Japan entered into a nuclear energy cooperation agreement during Koizumi’s visit. It looks like Japan could be also allowed to produce from U-mines of Kazakhstan, which owns 17 percent of the world reserves of uranium.
But it is not uranium that is the prime concern of Japan today. The highlights are the crude oil and gas of the region. Japan is stepping up political and economic ties with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as it has to look for alternative suppliers and cannot rely on the Middle East exclusively, Koizumi made clear before the tour.
This intent of Japan won’t be easy to implement, as it is bound to face severe opposition of China and Russia, which are patronizing the region. Japan is not the sole party interested in curtailing Russia’s and Chinese influence there. Its strong partner is the United States, which had to retreat after the Andijan bloodshed in Uzbekistan, forcing Karimov in the Putin’s arms. But the inconsistency of Uzbek president is notorious, and the PM of Japan may promise enough to prompt him to turn down the Moscow friendship.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 30, 2006
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