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Mr Putin instructed the Cabinet to submit at an early date a revised plan for the country’s development for the next four to five years. In his annual address to the Federal Assembly, delivered last month, the President criticised the plans proposed by the Government. The President said more thought had to be given to it in the light of preparation of the budget for 2003.

He also instructed the Government to start preparations for the holding of an international environmental protection conference in Moscow in 2003.

Environmental protection, the President said, was closely linked with the problem of Russia’s accession to the Kyoto Protocol, which is of concern to Russian and international public opinion. Vladimir Putin directed the Government to take note of the arguments of experts both “for” and “against” joining the Protocol. He said that the process of ratification of the Kyoto Protocol had effectively started, but it was a time-consuming process and all considerations needed to be taken into account in order to rule out negative consequences for the economy. At the same time one should be mindful of the tasks of environmental protection, the President noted.