Medvedev orders $1bln bridge in Far East for 2012 APEC summit

SOCHI, September 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on Wednesday on the construction of a huge suspension bridge to link the Far East city of Vladivostok to Russky Island, where the 2012 APEC summit will be held.

The bridge, whose cost is estimated at around $1 billion, is part of a $6 billion project to prepare for the summit. A conference center and several luxury hotels are planned for the island, along with improvements to Vladivostok's airport and roads.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a meeting in Vladivostok on Sunday on preparations for the APEC summit, and called for project deadlines to be met.

The summit will bring together the leaders of the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member states, which include economic giants China and the United States, and cumulatively account for about half of the global economy.