YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK, September 17 (RIA Novosti) - Import duties on planes that are not produced in Russia should be cancelled, Russian Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref said after a session on the socio-economic development of the Sakhalin region Saturday. Transport Minister Igor Levitin suggested that duties be reduced. He said that the Far East, a vast and sparsely populated region, needed small planes (up to 30 passengers) that were not produced in Russia.
The session also focused on the building and reconstruction of airports in the Far East. Gref said that the federal budget would allocate funds to build a new runaway in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and to purchase navigation equipment and build a runaway for the new airport on Kunashir (the Kuril Islands).
The minister was scheduled to visit Kunashir and Shikotan (the islands claimed by Japan) Saturday but the trip was canceled due to weather conditions.
"The airport [of Kunashir] needs a new runaway and navigation equipment for an all-weather status," Gref said.
