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President Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, dear colleagues!

We have two subjects of discussion on the agenda at our meeting today. First, we will be analysing the current situation and long-term prospects for Russia’s military-technical cooperation with individual countries, the countries with whom we have the greatest amount of interaction in this area. Second, we will be discussing measures to provide effective protection for Russian intellectual property in the defence technology sector.

Before turning to the agenda, I would like to note that serious and significant work has now been completed on preparing the new draft of what will be the principle normative document regulating military-technical cooperation. This document takes into account all the experience we have built up over recent years, the experience we have gained through life itself, and also that gained through the work of this commission. I have already signed the relevant decree. Now we will also need to approve a whole series of additional normative legal acts. It is my expectation that the commission members present here today will oversee this work. These decisions cannot be put on the backburner. I ask you to work swiftly on approving the necessary decisions based on the presidential decree that has been signed. I would note that the decree sets out very clearly the procedures for according Russian organisations the right to export military technology and provide the associated maintenance and repair services. Particular emphasis is placed on rapid decisions on orders, above all from the CIS member states. We have noted on many occasions that this is our Achilles heel, our weak point. The decision-making process is too drawn out and there is too much red tape involved, and this often causes us to lose markets to our competitors.

But at the same time, I also want to note that the decree sets out the necessary procedures that must be observed. The opinions of all the ministries should be taken into account, including that of the Foreign Ministry, as we are not just talking about an ordinary business here but about trade in arms and military equipment.

Overall, the new document lays the foundation that will make work in the military-technical cooperation sector more effective and will enable us to react quickly and flexibly to the situation on the world arms market.

Another important moment I would like to draw your attention to is that we cannot forget about the interests of the arms’ inventors and the manufacturing companies. Their intellectual contribution should get the merit it deserves and in such a way as to encourage people and companies to pursue new work and new achievements.