Moscow: Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
merged on Tuesday seven mostly Muslim regions into a new district
and appointed a powerful new envoy in a bid to boost
development to the troubled area.
The reform reorganised the Kremlin`s control over its
southern region, separating out the North Caucasus area, where
Moscow is battling a low-level Islamist insurgency, from more
stable parts.
Medvedev appointed as envoy of the area, which includes
Chechnya, the current governor of the Krasnoyarsk region,
Alexander Khloponin, who will also hold the title of deputy
prime minister under Vladimir Putin.
"A document was signed by me today... appointing you as
the presidential envoy to the North Caucasus federal
district," Medvedev told Khloponin, 44, in comments broadcast
on state television.
The new federal district includes Chechnya, Dagestan,
Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachayevo-Cherkessia, North
Ossetia and the Stavropol region with its regional capital in
Pyatigorsk.
Khloponin, a former businessman and trained economist,
served on the board of directors of Norilsk Nickel from 1996
to 2001. He was elected governor of Krasnoyarsk region in 2002
and is a member of the ruling United Russia party.
Medvedev hailed Khloponin`s "successful experience" in
Krasnoyarsk and said he hoped his appointment would boost
economic development in the North Caucasus, where unemployment
is rife and a low-level insurgency has picked up in recent
months.
PTI
