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Comment (Putin, speaking at a congress of his United Russia party inRussia's northern city of St Petersburg, said gross domesticproduct would decline by 8.0 to 8.5 percent in 2009.
But the former Kremlin chief said Russia must fully restorepre-crisis levels of growth in two to three years and added thathe saw cargo turnover and electricity demand rising in 2010.
Putin said Russia would widen its anti-crisis programme forcarmakers and that he was sure ailing carmaker AvtoVAZ (AVAZ.MM)had a future. He added Russia would help firms buyhigh-technology assets abroad.
But the premier said AvtoVAZ, which makes Lada cars, wouldhave to modernise and that he hoped shareholders -- whichinclude France's Renault (RENA.PA) -- would conduct themselvesresponsibly.
He said Russia would pay 50,000 roubles to those car ownerswho agreed to trade in vehicles over 10 years old for newdomestically made cars.
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