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Toyota may assemble cars in Russia-Vedomosti

MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Japanese carmaker Toyota is looking at assembling cars in Russia, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported after Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov met Toyota Chairman Hiroshi Okuda on a visit to Japan.

Vedomosti quoted Kasyanov as saying they had discussed the project, and a Toyota spokeswoman in Moscow was quoted as saying the matter was "under consideration."

Russia's trade representative to Japan, Robert Ruzanov, was quoted as saying that Toyota was considering assembling Land Cruisers and Corollas in Russia.

Okuda has visited Russia's second largest car factory GAZ and a glass factory in the central Russian region of Nizhny Novgorod, the press secretary for President Vladimir Putin's representative to the Volga federal district was quoted as saying.

Ford assembles the Focus family saloon outside St Petersburg and plans to make 12,000-15,000 cars this year.

General Motors makes a rough terrain vehicle, the Niva, in a joint venture with local car manufacturer Avtovaz and the joint venture will start assembling Astras in 2005..

France's Renault also plans to start manufacturing cars at a plant in Moscow. (Writing by Melissa Akin; Reuters messaging: [email protected]; +7 (095) 775 1242))