Tasks set by Vladimir Putin to contribute to dynamics of Russian foreign policy

The tasks set by Russian President Vladimir Putin will form a basis for the foreign ministry's everyday work, said Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov at the ambassadors' session in the ministry, where the Russian president had delivered a speech.

These tasks will be "carried out", they "are very important for the Russian diplomacy and allow it to conduct more active and purposeful activities for fulfilling the concept of the Russian foreign policy", the minister believes.

"The foreign policy course is the president's prerogative," he stressed.

"It is the president who guides the Russian foreign policy in compliance with the constitution," the minister pointed out.

All critical observations by Putin, made at the ambassadors' session, will be taken into account in the ministry's practical work, Ivanov added.

The Russian president made a number of very important and principled observations concerning coordinated, effective and purposeful fulfillment of the Russian political course, he stressed. Such work of the diplomacy "requires perfection, efficiency in solving current tasks, set by the country's leadership", he pointed out.

Ivanov specifically stressed the importance of the fact that Vladimir Putin had drawn attention to the aspects of the ministry's activities that "require more intensive work and great results". He was referring to, first of all, protection of the interests of our compatriots abroad.

"This is the ministry's first task. Something has already been done, but we must do more," Ivanov pointed out.

Another way of improving the ministry's work is assistance to the Russian business, according to him. Some ambassadors voiced specific proposals on the issue at the session, he added.

Yet another important task is to provide information on the foreign policy activities, Ivanov said.

"It is necessary that every Russian clearly understands what Russia is trying to achieve in its foreign policy and how it protects its interests," he explained.

130 heads of the Russian diplomatic missions abroad took part in the session in Moscow.