MOSCOW, November 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will start its transition to digital television in 2007, the Communications and IT minister said Friday.

"We have developed a draft federal targeted program on the development of the [necessary] infrastructure," Leonid Reiman said at a news conference in Moscow. "We are planning to adopt it next year and hope that it will get the necessary financing in 2007."

The transition from analog to digital TV is part of the draft program, the minister said.