Russia is putting an escalating territorial spat with Japan on hold to prepare extra energy supplies and provide manpower for the earthquake and tsunami relief effort.
The second of two Russian planes with rescuers and nuclear experts aboard was dispatched to Japan Monday, and Russian officials are readying extra liquefied natural gas and coal to compensate for Japan’s nuclear outages.
Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday that Russia is ready to deliver 200,000 tonnes of LNG to Japan in April and May at Tokyo’s’ request, as well as provide millions of extra tons of coal and redirect about 6,000 megawatts of energy to Japan.
"Despite the fact that contracts have already been signed on these products, it’s a situation when partners can meet each other halfway," Medvedev said. "It’s a big tragedy and in this case we can change the contracts," he said.
Tensions between Russia and Japan have risen sharply in recent months over the fate of a group of islands Russia calls the Kurils and Japan has named the Northern Territories.
Medvedev in November became the first Russian president to visit the islands and Russia made subsequent vows to base military hardware there, spurring a tit-for-tat exchange from diplomats in both countries.
The youth group of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s party said Monday it had called off Tuesday’s protest against Japan’s claim for the islands. Putin over the weekend called for officials to look beyond the spat and concentrate on providing relief.
