[happygrl]

Siberia is FAPP indefensible in its entirety, and when (not if) some sufficiently greedy nation makes an attempt upon its vast resources, Russia will have a huge dilemma: defend its territory and watch some huge fraction of its not-exactly-robust economy unravel in the process, and possibly even the nation itself, or submit to a de facto partition.

Thr US shoudl offer to a 99 year lease for Siberia.

Thera are already increasing links between the people of Alaska and the Russians in Siberia.

[SAJ]

That, or something very much like it, is the ultimate result in Siberia, you're quite right. Russia hasn't the capital or the technology to extract the resources there, except in very inefficient fashion; the West is increasingly chary of investing in Russia after the first batch of oil deals went sour, the ongoing debacle in and around the Caspian Basin, and the bond default and devaluation of 1998 (bankers have LONG memories...).

If the Russians were to lease mineral/timber(/water?) rights, they'd get hard currency which they badly need, doubtless a nice percentage of concessions, introduction into other investment possibilities, and enormous good will all around. It's win-win for them, completely...and they'll negotiate a VERY good deal for themselves, trust me on this. Russians have historically been a very practical people -- we'll see if that comes into play here, and if they go into leasing.

Potential lessors are STILL going to be highly skittish, though, until there is in place at least a fairly clear rule of law concerning property. This minute, the body of ''law'' that exists is utterly chaotic.

FReegards!