At the General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev indicated that his government will invite foreign companies to participate in developing the far eastern ter­ritories. In that regard, the Prime Minister noted that while Russia’s far eastern territories are expansive, comprising nearly 30 percent of the country’s area, their population scarcely reaches six million people. The government is prepared to extend development incentives and other benefits to enterprises desiring to locate their production facilities in the Far East, as well as to skilled workers that are willing to settle there. Mr. Medvedev went on to explain that Russia is pursuing agreements with Ka­zakhstan, China, Korea, Japan, and a num­ber of other countries in an effort to realize its far eastern objectives. The Far East, the Prime Minister emphasized, is a part of Rus­sia’s territory, where infrastructural develop­ment is simply bound to occur. According to

Dmitry Medvedev, the region boasts a wealth of mineral resources and other raw materials, which is a significant factor in attracting foreign capital and expertise. The Russian govern­ment will therefore be ready to accommodate foreign investors in the Far East on mutually advantageous terms.