Putin Pushes N. Korea for New Freight Route
From Times Wire Reports
President Vladimir V. Putin pressed North Korea to forge a new Asia-Europe freight route by extending Russia’s trans-Siberian railway across the Korean peninsula, bypassing China.
Putin, speaking after almost four hours of talks outside Vladivostok with North Korea’s reclusive leader, Kim Jong Il, said the new link would help revitalize Russia’s depressed and underpopulated far east.
Moscow would also stand to reap billions of dollars in transit fees.
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