"Unfortunately, the ministers were not able to agree on a variety of difficult issues," Fradkov said opening a Cabinet session. "Therefore, vice premiers will have to tackle this task."
First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, who Vladimir Putin appointed to their new posts on November 14 in a major government reshuffle, will participate in today's meeting.
Fradkov said he hoped the appointment of the two new deputy premiers would allow the government to improve coordination between ministries.
Medvedev, 40, who had previously headed the Kremlin administration and is still the chairman of state-owned Gazprom's board of directors, will be in charge of implementing priority, nationwide projects, including on health care, housing and agriculture.
Ivanov, 53, who retained his post as defense minister, has taken charge of Russia's military-industrial complex.
