PM: North Caucasus development needs systematic approach, state programs
GORKI. May 13 (Interfax) - The key to solving the problems of the North Caucasus lie in the region's social and economic development, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev believes.
"It is necessary to do everything [possible] so that the economic development of the North Caucasus gains momentum," Medvedev said late Monday at his first meeting with Lev Kuznetsov, who was appointed head of the new Ministry for North Caucasus Affairs earlier in the day.
The prime minister said this objective needs to be carried out "on a systematic basis, with the help of government programs and with a fairly difficult budget."
On the other hand, Kuznetsov's challenge is also to ensure that "the ministry starts working: it must be a compact, but effective mechanism," Medvedev said.
He recalled that he spoke with Kuznetsov about his future possible position last week. "Then we talked about the new ministry's challenges. The region is difficult, it demands constant attention," Medvedev said.
He told the new minister that the Russian authorities currently assume that the "key to solving the region's problems is in its social and economic development."
"This is what Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Khloponin has been engaged in, and he has done a great deal. And I will ask him to oversee you ministry," Medvedev said.
The prime minister noted that the North Caucasus ministry is already the third regional ministry that Russia has created recently. The country already has ministries for the Far East and Crimea.
