Putin calls to develop Russian Baltic seaports

President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to develop Russian seaports on the Baltic Sea, Itar-Tass reports. Putin spoke at a conference with the Russian government on Monday. "You should see that the development of Primorsk and Ust-Luga go ahead in a balanced order and that the freight turnover in these sea ports be approximately equal," Putin said, addressing First Vice-premier Sergei Ivanov who will visit Ust-Luga this week.

"That does not mean that we should purposefully take over some of the volumes from our neighbors - the Baltic states, Putin warned. " We should proceed from a positive incentive only and develop our own possibilities," the president said. "Our own Ust- Luga means more to us than rather close, but not Russian sea ports," Putin said.