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The meeting discussed current national social and economic development issues. The Finance Ministry forecasts that the economic growth rate this year should be 6.6 percent with inflation running at 9 percent.

The Government is particularly concerned about the national currency, which has seen a rapid strengthening due to the inflow of additional oil revenue into the country. Mr Kudrin said the main methods for keeping the rouble from strengthening are the Government’s firm financial policy and the sterilisation of surplus money supply by channelling it into the Stabilisation Fund.

Mr Kudrin also reported on the Government’s work on the draft budget for 2007 and the financial programme for the coming three years. More than 206 billion roubles will be allocated to financing the national projects in 2007 and Mr Kudrin said this will enable the projects to be extended to cover a broader range of social groups.