MOSCOW - Rising investment in the Russian economy and continued manufacturing growth, particularly in processing industries, require the protection of manufacturer rights, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov said on Tuesday, at the second meeting of the Commission for the Fight Against Intellectual Property Infringements.

According to Mr. Kasyanov, the setting up of the government’s Commission for the Fight Against Intellectual Property Infringements had attracted the attention of foreign partners. “They see us as a potentially very attractive market,” he stressed.

In his opinion, decisions made by the Commission and laws based on these decisions, will help solve problems with an inflow of investments in the country, the creation of new jobs, the raising of the GDP and the stepping up of manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Russia's GDP in January-August 2003 beat expectations and grew 6.9 percent, compared with the same period last year. The GDP is expected to grow by 6 percent by the end of 2003.

Russia’s GDP grew by 7.5 percent in the second quarter of 2003 compared with the first quarter. In the preliminary estimation of the State Statistics Committee, the GDP totaled RUR 3.111 trillion (about $101.5bn) in the second quarter, against RUR 2.893 trillion (about $94.4bn) in the first quarter. The GDP grew 23 percent compared with the second quarter of last year (RUR 2.523 trillion, or about $82.3bn).

According to Senior Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Ulyukayev, the Russian economy has been growing steadily in 2003, and the chain index has been stable, unlike in previous years.