“Last week Defense Ministry officials expressed concern over the problems the ministry was facing in the implementation of its development plans, ... These problems are due to the lack of coordinated actions between different ministries and departments. The prime minister made a relevant proposal - to appoint Sergei Ivanov, [while] retaining [his] defense minister post, a deputy prime minister for better coordination in this sphere.”
“During last week's Defense Ministry meeting, participants expressed anxiety about the problems the Defense Ministry has been having in realizing its plans for future development, ... These problems are connected with non-agreement of the activities of various ministries and departments.”
“Since my last visit in the year 2000, Russia has changed in a positive way. In our country, the economy has been growing by about seven percent a year ... (but) Japanese investors are still making only very hesitant steps into Russia,”
“Political activities in Russia should be as transparent as possible. Financing political activities from abroad is something the state should keep an eye on,”
