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Natural Resources Minister Yury Trutnev: The current programme of geological exploration was drafted on your instructions in 2004. It has been effective: last year, we explored more gas, oil, copper and gold reserves than produced products.

However, work under the programme exposed individual drawbacks. There are problems in some provinces, such as East Siberia, including the East Siberia — Pacific Ocean oil pipeline project, as well as problems concerning individual mineral resources, notably uranium and manganese.

We have drafted supplements to the programme, which do not entail increasing allocations. The goal is the same: we should increase production of 37 key mineral resources by 2020.

President Vladimir Putin: As for the pipeline to the Pacific Coast, there is no doubt that it will be built.

Yury Trutnev: There are no doubts; all the companies involved have confirmed their commitments. And it is clear that their operation will be much more effective if we give them expanded exploration information.

Vladimir Putin: Good.

Yury Trutnev: And another question. Today mineral licences do not stipulate an obligation to build processing facilities, although you have issued relevant instructions. You highlighted the development of the processing sector in your Address to parliament.

We have drafted measures and plan to propose holding investment tenders for the largest deposits from the undistributed stock, so that licence agreements will formalise the obligation to develop processing facilities. The relevant proposals have been drafted and we would like to submit them for your consideration. With your permission, we will continue moving towards that goal.