Far East forum to centre on development of Russia's east.

KHABAROVSK, August 25 (Itar-Tass) - The fourth Far Eastern
International Economic Forum to be held in Khabarovsk on September 8-9
will centre on the development of Russian eastern territories under
conditions of the world economic crisis and over the post-crisis period.

The city of the Amur River is ready to welcome over 600 participants.
A total of 402 participants, including 127 foreigners, have already
registered.
This information was made public on Tuesday at an enlarged meeting of
the Khabarovsk territorial government.
The forum will be held under the aegis of the Russian State Duma, the
United Russia Party and with the participation of the International
Association "Far East and Trans-Baikal Area", the Russian Academy of
Sciences, and will be co-sponsored by the office of the Russian president'
s representative in the Far Eastern Federal District as well as the
government of the Khabarovsk Territory.
"The forum will be attended by the speaker of the State Duma Boris
Gryzlov, executives of several ministers, big business representatives,
including Gazprom, SUEK and other companies.
"Foreign guests from 30 countries are expected to include Chinese
National Assembly President U. Bango, other representatives of the Chinese
leadership and Chinese provinces, executives of the Japanese Association
of Businessmen (ROTOBO), a large delegation from South Korea,
representatives from the World Bank as well as from the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development," the deputy deputy plenipotentiary envoy
of the Russian Federation President to the Far Eastern Federal District
told reporters.
He commented on progress in preparing for the forum at the request of
reporters.
"In real fact, the forum will be a gubernatorial session for the first
time. Reports on the development of their territories will be read out by
the Yakutia president, the governors of the Sakhalin and Amur regions, the
Khabarovsk Territory and other subjects of the Russian Federation,"
Levintal said.
According to the deputy envoy, "prime attention will be given to
anti-crisis programmes and post-crisis development as well as measures on
overcoming consequences of the crisis". The forum will examine mechanisms
of cooperation "so as to minimise the consequences of the crisis". It will
be necessary to take into account its lessons and, on the other hand,
actualities of life.
Despite the complexity of the present situation, the country's
leadership takes very important decisions on developing the Far East and
Siberia, noted the deputy representative. The Russian president and the
premier visited the Far East several times over the past six months.
Gazprom implements here a project worth 250 billion roubles on building a
gas trunk pipeline.
To build the pipeline and infrastructure projects, Gazprom "involved
capacities of Far Eastern building enterprises as well as Amurmetall and
Amurkabel.
"Construction of projects in line with preparation for the APEC forum,
implementation of projects of the East Siberia-Pacific oil pipeline and
laying down of gas pipelines are impressive anti-crisis projects,
contributing to the economic development of the Russian Far East,"
Levintal stressed.
"The Far Eastern Federal District has become the country's only area
by the results of the first six months of this year, which has achieved a
rise in the production volume by nearly seven percent despite the crisis,"
the deputy envoy underlined.
-0-bur/kud