Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Shchegolev, where do we begin today?

Igor Shchegolev: With the anniversary, Mr Prime Minister.

Vladimir Putin: Please, go ahead.

Igor Shchegolev: I'd like to inform you that we are celebrating an important anniversary on Monday - the 150^th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Popov, the Russian physicist who first demonstrated the practical application of radio waves. An organising committee is being formed, and a one-year programme has almost been completed. It will include competitions, books and stamps to be issued, public discussions, television programmes and media publications. All of this will help to preserve the knowledge that Russia was a leading light in this field. We can be proud of our important achievements and long-standing traditions in this sphere.

I would also like to discuss with you the proposal of naming our new last-generation satellite, Express-AM44, launched last month, after Alexander Popov.

Vladimir Putin: Good.

Igor Shchegolev: This would set a fine tradition. We are also planning another programme to celebrate Popov's anniversary. We are currently working on a set of policies to encourage domestic production as an alternative to imported IT and telecommunications equipment. There are producers in Russia with strong positions on the domestic and international markets, manufacturing produce from fibre-optic communications to ready made high-tech equipment, such as switching equipment, etc.

I have recently been to Kaliningrad, where the construction of a plant producing digital TV equipment such as converter boxes to receive satellite channels is nearing its completion. Their products are of good quality, even better than similar imported devices, and less costly than Chinese versions. The facility will produce several million units per year.

My colleagues there informed me that they have invited you to the opening ceremony of the plant.

Vladimir Putin: Yes, they did.

Igor Shchegolev: So, the invitation has been made; if you would like to visit ... I saw them making good progress there. They expect to begin production in early summer.

Vladimir Putin: How many units will they be able to produce annually?

Igor Shchegolev: It will depend on the demand, but in any case over 2 million.

Vladimir Putin: A year?

Igor Shchegolev: Yes.

Vladimir Putin: It would be great if their prices were significantly lower than the ones importers offer. That is good work.

Igor Shchegolev: Yes, indeed. Their products show strong technological standards, and are in demand on the marketplace. Their sales performance is high, both in Russia and abroad.

Vladimir Putin: This would be a good step towards the digitalisation of television in general.

Igor Shchegolev: This is exactly how we see it.

I have another issue involving television and its history. There is an old tower in the district of Shabolovka, in central Moscow, the Shukhovskaya Tower, built in 1922.

Vladimir Putin: Its construction began in 1919, to the best of my knowledge, and ended in 1922. It was built during the Civil War.

Igor Shchegolev: Yes. It is an important monument of architecture. Unfortunately, it has fallen under neglect for some time, and now it requires some government support. Despite current limitations on financing, we will have to raise funds to do some research and to maintain the Russian engineering monument.

Vladimir Putin: Certainly. It is one of the symbols of our television industry, the first TV tower in fact. When did it begin broadcasting?

Igor Shchegolev: It was completed in 1922, and began regular TV broadcasting in 1939.

Vladimir Putin: I think the first programmes were transmitted in the mid-1930s.

Igor Shchegolev: That's right, in the mid-1930s.

Vladimir Putin: Good.