TRANSPORT MINISTER ADVOCATES RUSSIA'S TURNING INTO LEADING TRANSIT COUNTRY








MOSCOW, MARCH 7, 2001. /RIA Novosti correspondent Galina  Filippova/ -- Russia should become one of the world's leading  transit countries in the future, Sergei Frank, Russian transport minister, stated at the plenary session of the State Duma (lower house of the Russian parliament). 


	The minister reported about the modernisation of Russia's transport network and creation of new transport corridors. He  also reported that, according to forecasts, investments in the amount of 600 billion rubles ($1 being approximately 28.5 rubles) will be needed to develop Russian international transport  corridor infrastructure. If the plans are implemented, surplus  revenues may constitute USD 8-9 billion a year by 2010 owing to transit development, Mr Frank said. 


	According to the data provided by the minister, the  Trans-Siberian transport corridor yields revenues up to USD 1  billion a year and the figure may go up to USD 2.5 billion a year in the future. The North-South transport corridor yields USD  1.5-2 billion in revenues.