julia gillard pledges rare earth, lng to japan

Interesting report from the SMH, go to

http://www.smh.com.au/business/gillard-pledges-rare-earth-lng-supplies-to-japan-20110421-1dq2g.html

Quote
Gillard pledges rare earth, LNG supplies to Japan
April 21, 2011 - 3:00PM
Prime Minister Julia Gillard promised Japan a steady supply of liquefied natural gas and rare-earth metals used to make cars and electronics following last month's record earthquake and tsunami.

?Over the next few years Australia will become Japan's most important supplier of liquefied natural gas, as we are already with coal and iron ore,? Ms Gillard said, according to prepared remarks distributed ahead of her speech today in Tokyo. ?Japan can certainly continue to rely on Australia as a reliable source of supply at this difficult time.?

Ms Gillard is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Naoto Kan later today to discuss cooperation as Japan recovers from the March 11 disaster and ongoing nuclear crisis. Australia dispatched rescue teams to devastated areas in northern Japan and its military cargo planes helped carry equipment to Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

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?We are also committed to being a secure and reliable supplier to Japan of rare earth metals which are so important to advanced manufacturing,? Ms Gillard said.

Ms Gillard said she and Kan are commited to concluding a bilateral free trade agreement that has been under negotiation since 2007. Mr Kan said he wants to accelerate talks in a January speech. Australia is Japan's largest energy supplier while Japan is Australia's second-biggest trading partner.

Gillard is scheduled on Saturday to visit the town of Minami-Sanriku in Miyagi prefecture, where an Australian relief team operated last month. She will then travel to South Korea to meet President Lee Myung Bak before ending the trip in Beijing, where she will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

Bloomberg

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/gillard-pledges-rare-earth-lng-supplies-to-japan-20110421-1dq2g.html#ixzz1K8O0gMrh"

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They, i mean the current FEDERAL Government must know that Lynas will be producing in Malaysia, and that ARAFURA RESOURCES will be producing out of Wyalla in Australia, so have they been talking to lyc or aru ??????

Good question really, as no mention by either company in the press or any news announcements, so what do they expect the Japanese to say on this matter " we are already talking to the main suppliers. " This could be another ploy to save her and her party from defeat at the next election.

Time will tell. Always does