MOSCOW: Russia and China are to carry out joint exploitation of raw material

deposits in Siberia

under a 2009-2010

cooperation programme, the Russian daily Vedomosti reported on Monday.

The programme, including 205 joint projects in the border regions, was approved by the Russian and Chinese presidents, Dmitry Medvedev and Hu Jintao, at a meeting in New York on September 23, the paper said.

“Almost all the projects on Russian

territory are based on exploitation of raw

materials in Eastern Siberia and the far

east” of Russia, Vedomosti said.

“Russia is prepared to put up for joint exploitation deposits of coal, iron ore and precious metals,” it added.

Meanwhile the Chinese would build plants in the northeast of the country

to produce tin, lead, furniture and copper plates, it said.