President Putin Sets Before All Levels of Authority Task to Work Under One Foreign Policy Programme

Strengthening Russia's positions in the world and building up the Russian state's foreign policy and economic resource is the common task of all bodies of power at all levels, said Vladimir Putin as he opened a meeting of the State Council presidium in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

The Russian president emphasised that in this sphere it is necessary to act "in a consolidated way, according to a single programme, and feeling each other's elbow". It is only in this case, believes the head of state, that "we will succeed in upholding our national interests and those of global stability". The latter, Putin said, are no less important, in view of the growing importance of the Russian factor in world-wide affairs.

The Russian president designated the range of questions which should be focused on at the State Council presidium meeting and at the State Council meeting itself, which will take place on Wednesday.

According to the head of state, it is necessary above all "to pay attention to the traditional methods and forms of work" in foreign policy ties. In addition, it is necessary "to analyse problems" plaguing regions in this sphere, above all of a legal, organisational and methodological nature, Putin said. And finally it is necessary to ascertain what can be done by the federal centre, the presidential administration, the president, the government and the Foreign Ministry "in order to support the initiatives of regions with a view to achieving nation-wide objectives in the sphere of international activity".

After noting that the theme of international activity of the Russian state is discussed for a second time at a State Council presidium meeting, the president stressed the urgency of this task "in connection with a new geopolitical position" under which "an overwhelming majority of the regions have become borderline ones".

The regions, according to Putin, are first of all interested in the external economic sphere, but they also have many questions in the migration sphere. After noting that "in a number of regions these questions are very sharp", the president stressed the resources available in the regions in this field are insufficient.