The President reported the results of talks with the U.S. President in Bratislava. At the Russian-American summit, documents were signed confirming the high level of Russian-American relations, and the procedure of joint work for the short-term and middle-term perspective was determined, said Vladimir Putin.
Minister of Information Technology and Communications Leonid Reiman reported on work on creating legislative bases for supporting the high technology industry. The President charged the Government with speeding up work on preparing a draft law on special economic zones in the high technology sphere, or technology parks.
Finance Minster Aleksei Kudrin told Mr Putin about work on reducing the tax burden for small and middle business, and also about preparations on a draft law specifying the simplified tax system for small business.
Minister of Public Health and Social Development Mikhail Zurabov told the President that in January and February, cash compensations to privileged categories of citizens would be financed in full. Mr Zurabov also said that the raising of pensions from 1 March 2005 would take place without any errors.