Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov backs easing of visa regimes in Asia-Pacific region for students and tourists.

Ambitious plans unveiled for 250km/h train that would cut travel times and drive new business and tourism between two countries.

Kremlin gives go ahead for work on the new rockets for missions from Vostochny space centre.

One estimate is half a million new jobs stemming from improvements to the Baikal-Amur Mainline link amid hopes of foreign investment.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is to lead discussion of how to put Siberia on the world map of growth at the annual forum.

Construction has begun on a Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Novosibirsk with its opening planned for 2014.

The massive property boost for the republic's capital Ulan-Ude was unveiled ahead of the major Baikal Forum of Economics in the city.