“Seeking to comprehensively address issues in the oil sector, we are drafting a memorandum that stipulates the establishment of a working group to be chaired by Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and the Head of China’s State Energy Administration,” Mr Sechin said.

Mr Zhukov reported that the Russian side has prepared a draft of the new working plan on bilateral cooperation in education for 2009-2012, which is “designed to promote ties between the educational communities of the two countries, the growth of their academic exchanges, and the reciprocal study of each other’s languages, cultures, and traditions.”

"We should proceed with the conviction that Russian money-both corporate and government money-should work within the Russian economy. Everyone involved-whether in mining, steel or machine production-should consider the current situation when formulating cost parameters, and should not forget imports as an alternative".

Addressing the Council for the Development of the Forestry Complex, Mr Zubkov stressed the need to discuss the issue of introducing protective duties on the import of obsolete timbering technology.

Mr Ivanov warned against continued procrastination with the drafting of the federal law on direct mixed (combined) transportation and said that Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had earlier referred to this in Novosibirsk on Wednesday during the discussion and approval of Russia’s Transport Strategy.

He explained the failure to carry out inspections in time and fully comply with the commission’s earlier decision by the changes in the structure of the federal executive bodies.

One of the priority tasks of Inter RAO UES is to become established on the markets of Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, Mr Sechin said.

At the meeting, Viktor Zubkov reported to the Prime Minister on the current situation with mineral fertilizer prices and the agreements reached between fertilizer manufacturers’ associations and agricultural producers.

Following a discussion, it was decided to recommend to the Government to abolish import customs duties on coking coal of the so-called “fat” brands “Zh”, “K” and “KO”.

“Our country and culture have always been distinguished by a careful attitude to the family structure, which lays the foundations of mercy, tolerance, and elevated morality,” he noted.