Russian Deputy Prime Minister To Meet Mongolian Minister Of Infrastructure In Siberia

Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Alexei Gordeyev is due to hold negotiations with Mongolian Minister of Infrastructure Byamba Jigjid. The parties are supposed to discuss Russia's possible participation in construction and reconstruction of energy facilities in Mongolia, along with cooperation in the agricultural sphere. According to the Deputy Prime Minister's spokesman, the talks of Gordeyev and Jigjid were to be held during the joint session of the Siberian federal district representatives and the Mongolian delegation. Siberia is a key region for the Russian-Mongolian trade, since it accounts for almost 82% of Russian export and over 31% of import. Officials in the Siberian Informational Centre told RIA Novosti that, according to Russian customs statistics, Siberian exports increased from $24 million in 1993 to $175.3 million in 2000, while imports reduced to $13 million. Participants in the conference are due to discuss possible construction of an energy bridge to supply energy from the Irkutsk region to China via Mongolia along with construction of a gas pipe-line and development of the Kovykta gas condensate deposit.