Finance Minister Positive About Russia's Economic Development In 2002

A positive tendency will continue in the Russian economic development in 2002 despite a fall in world oil prices, Russian Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin announced at the opening of the sixth meeting of the Russian-Italian council for economic, currency and financial cooperation. Kudrin stated that the main macroeconomic parameters testify to the upgrading of the Russian economy. The Finance Minister recalled that a rise in the GDP will reach more than 5.5 per cent in Russia this year and it is expected to be more than 4 per cent in 2002. Moreover, a rise in investments in the country's economy amounted to more than 7.5 per cent in the first nine months of 2001.