Russia's 2003 output growth exceeds 6%

Russia's output growth within January-April 2003 made up 6.3%, federal Economic Development and Trade Minister German Gref said as meeting President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

As of April this year, output growth amounted to 7.1%, the minister said, adding that it was a very high indicator for recent years, inferior to that of July 2002 only - 7.8%, added Mr Gref.

The minister said the prime objective of the present moment was to implement the guidelines of the president's State of the Nation Address.

President Putin urged the search for fresh ideas.