YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. Nov 1 (Interfax) - The Sakhalin region's Governor Alexander Khoroshavin has promised to "work hard" on realizing the plans for the socio-economic development of the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin.
"I fully agree with the president and that we should do everything together to make people's lives on the Kuril Islands as good as life in the central part of Russia and maybe even better. That same goes for Sakhalin," Khoroshavin said, commenting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's first visit to the Kurils on Monday.
The governor reiterated the importance of "the help and support the Russian president has promised to continue providing to the Sakhalin region.
"Our job is to work hard on realizing the plans for the socio-economic development of the islands by building more high-quality housing, boosting the level of educational and healthcare services, and solving transport problems," the press service for the region's administration quoted the governor as saying.
That will draw people to the Kuril Islands and help create conditions for the solution of the islands' demographic problem," Khoroshavin said.
"It's a top priority for the region's administration," he said.
Khoroshavin said the president has praised the measures taken on the Kuril Islands to boost residents' living standards
"There is understanding of the problems that we cannot solve independently without the country's help. For this reason, we value very highly the constant attention the country's administration is giving to the development of the islands," Khoroshavin said.