The president stressed that while the summit will only last a couple of days the construction legacy will last for decades or centuries. He said “our aim is to create a new Valdivostok, a good place to live and a city with a positive effect on all the Primorye Territory.”

He said that come what may, the summit was going to take place on September 1, 2012. Everything must be ready by then “but not the way it used to be,” he cautioned. “When the race to finish started two or three months before the deadline, and it did not matter what the quality of work was. Everything must be done well,” he said.

While Medvedev acknowledged that, “in general, everything is going according to schedule,” he highlighted problem areas focussing on the gas supply pipeline from Sakhalin Island through Kahaborovsk to Vladivostok and Russkiy Island and the concerns over the bridge. While he was assured the bridge would be completed on time he ordered preparations for alternative transport to make sure summit delegations could get to the island.

His most forceful criticism was reserved for the Ministry of Defence which he accused of “sitting on land,” which was needed for development.

As we flew over the city in a helicopter, we saw that wherever you look there is Defence Ministry land. The Ministry is not doing anything with it and is not letting others to use it either. Therefore, I instruct the Defence Ministry to submit proposals within one month for the immediate transfer of land to the jurisdiction of the city and the region. Stop sitting on this land.  I also instruct Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to fly to Vladivostok in the nearest future and make all the decisions in person. The deadline is two weeks, then report to me. I would like the Defence Minister to tell all of his subordinates: if any of them are caught conducting illegal business with the sale of land, or “pretend” sale or leasing, they will be prosecuted and they will go to prison. We must get to the bottom of what is happening there. Whenever I come over, I’m told the land has not been transferred and nothing has been done. This mess must end.”

President Medvedev with Primorsky Territory Governor Sergei Darkin (left) and First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov during a helicopter viewing facilities being built for the APEC summit Presidential Press and Information Office