As Mr Ivanov announced at the Commission meeting, the recent events in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea indicate an increase in the threats to the policy of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. He said: "Unfortunately, the number of these challenges and threats is growing, and events in the North of the Korean Peninsula are evidence of this."

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the comprehensive programme on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of their delivery until 2010, the implementation of which was considered at the Commission meeting, was devised following the decision taken by the Russian Security Council in December 2003. Mr Ivanov said "Now, when the comprehensive programme is nearing completion, we must draw up our interim results, so that we can ensure that the aims it stipulates are unconditionally accomplished." He added, that this above all relates to countering the threat proliferation poses to Russia's security.

Touching on another issue raised at the meeting, that of completing the inter-agency information exchange to implement the prohibitions and limitations established under export control legislation, Sergei Ivanov noted that the increased efficiency of this cooperation must be considered from the point of view of reducing the period of time it takes to make a decision about the supply of high-tech products, the customs procedure, and finally, the creation of conditions that are beneficial for the promotion of Russian high-tech products on foreign markets.