Kurils life quality should be raised to Central Russia level-gvrnr.

2/11 Tass 64

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, November 2 (Itar-Tass) - People's life
quality on the Kuril Islands should be "no worse than in the central part
of Russia, and perhaps better," governor of the Sakhalin region Alexander
Khoroshavin said on Tuesday, agreeing with the opinion of Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev who for the first time visited the Kunashir
Island (Southern Kurils) on November 1, the information policy staff of
the governor and government of the Sakhalin region told Itar-Tass.
"I attach major importance to the first-ever visit by a Russian head
of state to the Kuril Islands," said Khoroshavin. "It was a brief working
visit of the Russian president to the Island of Kunashir, during which he
visited the Mendeleyev geothermal power station, a Kurils family, the
local fish processing plant, inspected the construction of residential
homes, a deepwater quay, airport, social facilities, including a new
kindergarten," he said.
"It is important that the president personally saw how tasks are being
fulfilled within the federal target programme for the socio-economic
development of the Kuril Islands, which facilities have already been
built, which are at the high readiness stage, in what circumstances,
including nature-climate, the Kurils residents have to live and work," the
Sakhalin region's governor said.
"Generally speaking, in my view, the president has developed a
positive attitude to what is currently being done on the Kuril Islands in
terms of raising quality of life of the islanders. There is an
understanding of problems that we will not be able to settle on our own
without the country's aid," said Khoroshavin. "In this regard, the
permanent attention of the country's leadership to the development of the
island region is very important and valuable for us," he said.
"I fully agree with the president that together we must do everything
to make people's lives on the Kuril Islands no worse than in the central
part of Russia, and maybe even better. The same is true for Sakhalin.
Therefore, the help and support that Russia's president promised to
continue to provide to the Sakhalin region is so important for us. Well,
and our business is to roll up our sleeves and implement our plans for
socio-economic development of the insular region. That is, to build more
high-quality and affordable housing, to improve educational and health
services, to solve transport problems. Then people will be attracted to
the Kurils, as the president said, consequently, conditions will be
created for the settlement of the islands' demographic problem. It is a
key task for the regional government," concluded the head of the Sakhalin
region, which includes the Kuril Islands.
When visiting the Kunashir Island Medvedev said, "It will be a better
life here as that in central Russia." Reporters asked the president about
a future demographic situation in region, where a major outflow of people
was observed in the nineties of the previous century. "This depends on us.
If normal living conditions are provided people will certainly go here.
Some will go on vacations and some will stay living here," he said. The
conversation was held at a new kindergarten, which is to be commissioned
in November. The kindergarten is designed for 110 children that fully
meets Yuzhno-Kurilsk's needs. Medvedev assessed positive the new
kindergarten and said that "it is one of the most modern facilities." One
more kindergarten is to be commissioned for 70 children on the Shikotan
Island soon, the Sakhalin regional authorities reported. Medvedev made an
entry in the book of honorary guests and presented a mini system and a TV
set to the kindergarten. The president arrived on the Kunashir Island on
Monday. "We are interested in people to stay here. The development is
important here, we will certainly invest money here," Medvedev said at a
tea party. The president asked the hosts about food supplies and the level
of medical services. They said that food supplies are permanent to the
island and they have all necessities.
-0-ezh/ast