Kasyanov praises Cabinet for successful financing of defense orders

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov is holding a meeting of thegovernment commission for military and industrial issues, the department ofgovernment information reported. This meeting is devoted to the statedefense order and arms programs for 2003.A source in the department of government information noted that PrimeMinister Mikhail Kasyanov reported successful financing of arms programsand the state defense order by the government in 2001 and 2002. He alsocalled for keeping the same rates of upgrading the Armed Forces andscientific research, taking into account new budget expenditures aftersalaries to military men had been increased.According to Kasyanov, these issues attract the close attention ofPresident Vladimir Putin. He urged members of the commission to masswell-weighted decisions before the 2003 budget draft is considered by thegovernment on August 15..