Japan vows to keep developing giant Iran oil field
March 23, 2006
TOKYO (AFP) - Japan said it will press ahead with its multi-billion-dollar oil investment in Iran, rejecting a report that US officials have pressured Tokyo to pull out due to Tehran’s nuclear drive.
The Sankei Shimbun said the United States had asked its close ally, which is heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil, at least to halt work in Azadegan in southwestern Iran, one of the world’s biggest untapped reserves.
The demands were made informally by US officials including Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick and undersecretary of state for arms control Robert Joseph, the conservative daily said, quoting anonymous sources in Washington.
But Vice Trade Minister Hideji Sugiyama denied the report and said Japan would go ahead with the Azadegan project.
"I understand that there is no truth that there was a request. For now we will stick to our current policy," Sugiyama told reporters.
He said Japan would balance the mounting concern about Iran’s nuclear ambitions with the needs of the world’s second largest economy.
"We hope that Iran will listen to the international community’s concerns, but at the same time it is important to have a stable supply of crude oil from Iran," he said.
The US embassy here said Japan was aware of US opposition to investment in Iran but declined to comment on whether Washington has pressured Tokyo to stop the Azadegan project.
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via yahoo news.
