Putin might get this project labeled the tunnel to no where by the
American anti-progressive movement.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, the Russian president, is to raise plans for a tunnel
to link his country with America when he meets his US counterpart,
George W Bush, next Sunday.
The 64-mile tunnel would run under the Bering Strait between Chukotka,
in the Russian far east, and Alaska; the cost is estimated at =A333
billion.
Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea football club and governor of
Chukotka, has invested =A380m in the world's largest drill but has
denied that it is linked with the development.
Proposals for such a tunnel were approved by Tsar Nicholas II in the
early 20th century but were abandoned during the Soviet era. If
finally built, the tunnel would allow rail connections between London
and New York.
A Kremlin spokesman confirmed last week that Putin seeks to build "a
real bridge" between Russia and America when he meets Bush at the
Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Officials in Wa****ngton and Moscow view the talks as an op****tunity to
ease expected tensions about this week's Nato summit in Romania.
Clashes are expected over America's planned missile defence system in
eastern Europe and whether to allow Ukraine and Georgia into Nato.
Russia said last month that it would have to aim its own missiles at
Ukraine if it joined Nato and hosted military facilities.
While Russia cannot block Nato member****p, allies know that boosting
links with the two former Soviet states would strain ties with Moscow
- ties that are already damaged over the independence of Kosovo and
the US missile ****eld.
Although Nato's 26 members agree in principle that the future of
Ukraine and Georgia lies within the alliance, some are wary of
angering Russia, which provides a quarter of Europe's natural gas.
from:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3646415.ece
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