"Its geographical position and resources, including technological and intellectual potential, enable Russia to play a key role in the development of a new transport and energy architecture of the Asia-Pacific region," the president said. He added that Russia would do this with its partners, relying on their capabilities, including investment potential.
"Transport haulage across Russia is cheaper compared with other routes and involves cargo flows between the Pacific and European regions, the world's two most powerful economic centers," the Russian leader said.
Putin cited the Trans-Korean railroad as a good example of transport cooperation, as it considerably cuts the costs of cargo delivery between Europe and Asia.
"This project, designed to deliver cargoes across North and South Korea, is gradually advancing, although the pace of its implementation cannot be called quick due to slow progress in the talks on the Korean nuclear issue," Putin said.
According to Putin, Russia has relied on its technological potential in industry and equally in medical and biological technologies since the start of its cooperation with APEC.
"APEC can be proud for its role in preventing the spread of atypical pneumonia [SARS]. Now the time has come to use this experience in the fight against bird flu. This is our common problem. Therefore, we must deal a preventive blow against this epidemic to prevent it becoming a human disease. I mean both the experience of quarantine measures and joint vaccine development and production programs. Russia has good experience and potential in this area," Putin said.
Russia's participation in APEC is an indisputable and long-term priority of the country's foreign policy and foreign trade policy, Putin said. "Our goal is to contribute to the country's economic and social development, especially its Siberian and Far Eastern regions," the Russian president said.
He added that Russia had the relevant potential for this purpose. "Our APEC partners will only welcome this form of Russian 'incursion'," Putin said.
