Pipeliners

WASHINGTON, October 25 (RIA Novosti, Alexei Berezin) - Russia's Industry and Energy Minister said Tuesday that domestic pipeline monopoly Transneft would attract western investors to build the Far Eastern oil pipeline to the Pacific Ocean. Minister Viktor Khristenko said the most effective and acceptable proposals from all sources would be chosen. "I am convinced these will not only be Russian banks, but western creditors as well," he said. The minister said the first construction stage, to be completed by 2008, would put the pipeline capacity at 30 million metric tons, to be increased to 80 million metric tons in the future. The first stage of the project is currently being tested for environmental safety.