Siberia: Sharing the Wealth

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Japan's businessmen for years have been eager to offer their know-how and equipment to help Russia develop Siberia's great resources-at a profit, of course. The Soviets have sometimes seemed to encourage the Japanese, then back away. Last week 28 Russian economists and technicians went to Tokyo and sounded as if they actually meant business. Mikhail Nesterov, president of the Soviet Chamber of Commerce and head of the delegation, said, "Western Siberia has reserves of 40 billion tons of oil, 42 billion cubic meters of lumber, vast amounts of iron ore, coal and nonferrous metals, all waiting to be tapped." He invited the Japanese to suggest methods of tapping them all and sharing the wealth.

The Siberian offer was to Japanese businessmen the most exciting in a series of recent economic dealings with Russia. Only a few years ago, the Soviets were harshly imprisoning Japanese fishermen who came too close to Siberian shores. The Russians became friendlier in 1963, when their troubles with China increased. The fishermen were freed, and goodwill and trade delegations were sent to Japan. A Pacific-fisheries agreement followed. In the past two months, the Russians and Japanese have signed a commercial air agreement and a new fiveyear, $2.1 billion trade agreement.

In their new offers last week, the Russians suggested:

> Participation by the Japanese in development of the western Siberian oilfields, which are expected to become Russia's biggest producers. The Russians will need 4,338 miles of 48-in. pipe to run from the fields to the port of Nakhodka, plus 500 miles of 28-in. pipe for branch lines, as well as other equipment. They would pay the Japanese for the pipe and equipment in oil, beginning in about 1975, when production would presumably rise above local needs.

> Purchase of huge Japanese bulk carriers of oil and ore if the Japanese buy the oil and ore that the ships would carry.

> Interest in buying Japanese cargo-loading equipment, warehouses, tugboats and icebreakers for a $111 million program to improve the harbors of Nakhodka, Vladivostok, Vanino and Mago.

> Purchase of Japanese lumbering machinery and equipment if the Japanese buy some of the lumber.