06 June 2004 19:32
Russian spokesman hails relations with Mexico
Moscow, 6 June: Russia sees the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum as an "efficient mechanism for tackling
international problems", Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Yakovenko said today commenting on
possibilities of cooperation with Mexico within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping. He said he was in favour
of "active involvement" of Siberia and Far East in the cooperation.
"The supply of liquefied natural gas from Sakhalin Island to the western coast of Mexico and the United States
as part of the Sakhalin-2 project is one of specific projects in the foreseeable future," the diplomat said.
"The project is the biggest in Russia which is being implemented from direct foreign investment totalling 10bn
dollars," he added.
Yakovenko said that the Sakhalin Energy company was building a gas treatment plant with annual capacity of 9.6m
tonnes, which is expected to be commissioned in 2007.
"Four long-term contracts on gas deliveries have already been signed with Japanese energy companies," he
said. "Negotiations are in progress on gas deliveries to a reception terminal in the Baja California state of
Mexico," he added.
[Another ITAR-TASS report at 0927 gmt quoted Yakovenko as saying that Russia regards Mexico as a key Latin American
partner. Yakovenko praised relations between the two countries and said that the countries had similar stances on many
international issues.
He said: "Moscow and Mexico advocate a stronger central role for the United Nations and its Security Council in
ensuring international stability and settling conflict situations in the "flashpoints' of the world, including
Iraq and the Middle East."
Yakovenko was also quoted as saying that Russia and Mexico were interested in stepping up cooperation to fight drugs
and arms trafficking, organized crime, corruption, money laundering and trafficking in people.]
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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