Opening the meeting, Mr Putin said he hoped the adoption of the law on the three-year budget would have a positive impact on Russia’s economic development. The President noted that, for the first time, the law sets out specific tasks and objectives for developing the social sphere and the real sector of the economy. At Mr Putin’s request, Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin gave an assessment of the three-year budget’s main parameters.
First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov reported on an upcoming meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission and the opening of a centre for innovative technology in machine-building for the transport sector.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reported on the first meeting of the Russian-American working group on missile defence in Washington. The President called on Mr Lavrov to ensure close coordination on the missile defence issue with the United States and with Russia’s European partners through the Russia-NATO Council.