MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed on Tuesday former interior minister Oleg Safonov as presidential envoy to the country's Far East Federal District.
Safonov will succeed Kamil Iskhakov, who was appointed as deputy minister for regional development last month.
At a meeting with the new envoy on Tuesday, Putin said a major task for Safonov in his new role would be to stamp out criminal elements in the region's economy.
Safonov said putting the region's economy in order had additional urgency due to preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, to be held in Vladivostok in 2012.
"I will try to focus on the development of the economy, industry and the social sector," he told the president.
