APEC 2012 summit to turn Vladivostok into Russia's "Pacific Gate:" Putin

MOSCOW, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2012 summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) set to be held in Vladivostok will turn the far-eastern city into Russia's "Pacific Gate," Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Monday.

"The upcoming summit will be a significant political and economic event for the whole Asia Pacific region," Putin said in the capacity of the chairman at a conference on preparations for the summit.

The APEC summit is a good opportunity "to present Vladivostok as 'the Pacific Gate' of Russia and a promising center of international cooperation," Putin was quoted by local media as saying.

Vladivostok is the largest city in Russia's Far East region.

After examining several facilities under construction for the summit, Putin said "a vast progress had been made."

He also said the construction program is an important anti-crisis measure, which "has created tens of thousands of jobs in the construction industry and related sectors."

The Vladivostok 2012 summit will bring together leaders of 21 member states of APEC, the world's largest international trade and economic organization.