MOSCOW, May 10 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's finance minister said Wednesday that ruble convertibility could be achieved as early as this summer.
Alexei Kudrin said the date of July 1 mentioned by President Vladimir Putin in his annual state of the nation address to parliament earlier Wednesday was possible.
"In my 2003 [state of the nation] address, I set the task of achieving ruble convertibility," Putin said. "Certain plans were outlined ... I suggest speeding up the cancellation of the remaining restrictions and completing this work by July 1 this year."
"All these measures are realizable," Kudrin told journalists following Putin's speech.
Kudrin said the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank would soon coordinate the necessary measures.
