MOSCOW, November 11 -- The creation of new centres of economic activity in Russia?s regions is a priority of state and private partnership, Minister of Regional Development Vladimir Yakovlev said addressing a conference "Biggest Companies of Russia: Base of Economic Growth."

Yakovlev singled out several regions which, according to him, "could become locomotives in the country?s economic growth." Among them, the minister named "all the territory between Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Kaliningrad region, the Volga Region, the Urals, Western and Central Siberia, the Far East, as well as Rostov, Krasnodar and Stavropol."

According to Yakovlev, "main state investments should be earmarked just here, it is necessary to speed up the construction of the transport infrastructure here."

The minister also noted that "within the framework of the given programme, we can speak about such major projects as the completion of BAM, upgrading of Transsib and construction of the Eastern oil pipeline.
sections: Politics, Region News
areas: Central region