Baikal Economic Forum to discuss development of natural monopolies

The 2nd Baikal Economic Forum, which will be held in Irkutsk on September17 to 20, will host a round table meeting devoted to the strategy ofdevelopment of natural monopolies in Russia and the Asian Pacific region,said Valentin Mezhevich, deputy head of the Federation Council's commissionfor natural monopolies, in an interview with RBC today.In the opinion of the senator, "Western Siberia is empty" in contrast tothe oil and gas transportation system of European Russia. In light of thisit is necessary to create up-to-date ramified electricity, oil and gastransportation channels with high transfer capacity, Mezhevich maintains.Solution for this problem will systematize the production of hydrocarbonates and facilitate exports to Asian Pacific countries.Additionally, Mezhevich believes it would be expedient to discuss at theround table meeting the possibility of preparing a governmental program onthe creation of transit corridors. .