Moscow, May 20: Russian President Vladimir Putin today issued decrees confirming cabinet for his second term in office and created a new ministry of information technologies and telecommunications. Under the Russian constitution, Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov had tendered his cabinet's resignation following the swearing in of Putin for the second four-year term on May 7.
Putin has decreed that Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Ivanov will retain their jobs as foreign and defence ministers respectively.
Former telecom minister Leonid Reiman would head the newly created it and communications ministry, which was merged with the transport ministry under last March's cabinet reshuffle.
Putin had abolished about a dozen ministries to streamline Russia's administrative system for better governance and root out corruption.
The new cabinet will have 18 members including Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.
Bureau Report