RUSSIA: PROPOSED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK WILL LINK RUSSIA, JAPAN AND KOREA.

IPR Strategic Business Information Database, May, 2001

Russian Rail and Japan's Sumitomo are negotiating the creation of "Northern Ring" - an underwater unified communications network. First Deputy Rail Minister Alexander Misharin told Interfax news agency that the ministry and Japan's Sumitomo Corporation are considering a project to create a unified communications network that will link the Japanese island of Hokkaido, Russia's Sakhalin Island and part of the mainland, and South Korea.

Negotiations were conducted by Rail Ministry officials visiting Tokyo in May. The Japanese company, which has a great deal of experience in laying underwater cable, said it would be prepared to help finance the project, he said. (worlditreport.com)