September 19, 2007 (LPAC) - Russias two-day Khabarovsk Far East International Economic Forum concluded today, with a focus on development in the context of a new model for the national economy; energy; the transport system of Russia's vast East; and regional integration in the Asia-Pacific Region as the basis for regional security. Among participants who have played a prominent role in discussion of the Bering Strait crossing project and other Russian megaprojects were Presidential Representative in the Far East Federal District Kamil Iskhakov, and Boris Lapidus, senior VP of Russian Railways. The meeting was also greeted by Patriarch Aleksi II. Iskhakov, in his own presentation (he also read greetings from Putin), cited the recently adopted government program for development of the Far East and Transbaikal to 2013, as the point of departure for hundreds of large-scale investment projects over the next six years.

Academician Mikhail Titarenko, director of the Far East Institute of the RAS, polemicized from the podium at Khabarovsk, about the national-security importance of the Far East. He quoted the 18th century scientist Mikhail Lomonosovs warning to Russias rulers, that without this region, Russia cannot exist.

{Finansovyye Izvestiya} commented that Duma Speaker Gryzlov might be glad he missed the conference (due to the government turmoil in Moscow), because Khabarovsk Territory Governor Victor Ishayev (author of the Ishayev plan for development based on the general welfare, see http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2001/2809ishayevreportintro.html) opened fire on the central authorities. Ishayev said that even such an apparently large-scale commitment as the 2013 program, with government spending of $22.3 billion, is not enough to save the region. "How can we talk about investment projects," {Finansovyye Izvestiya} cited Ishayev, "if the population of the Far East is steadily declining, and in a couple of years there will be nobody to work?" He said that standards of living need to be boosted, with higher federal loan subsidies and grants to young families, so they can buy housing. Ishayev also called for diverting parts of the tax on profits and VAT, which are currently paid to Moscow, into regional budget coffers instead.