KIA may assemble cars in Russia

Talks are underway between the Russian Ministry for Industry, Science and Technology and top management of the Korean firm, KIA-Motors, for an automobile assembly operation in Izhevsk or Vladivostok to produce 200,000 to 250,000 vehicles a year. As reported by Rosbalt, the announcement was made by ministry chief Ilya Klebanov at a plenary session of the Russian Industrialist forum now taking place in Saint Petersburg. He also said steps taken in support of the domestic auto industry had brought the industry out of crisis. He said Russian automobile manufacturers are expected to sell 200,000 more vehicles this year than last. Klebanov also asserted that his ministry's support for Western auto companies to enter the Russian market. In 2002, he said, 11,000 foreign models were assembled here. That number will be 50,000 this year, he said.

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