Future reforms have to ``make a lot of social sense'', Interfax quoted Primakov, 68, as telling a meeting of interim ministers.

``This is a national government, which must care about the interests of Russia and its people,'' he said.

Primakov, who served as foreign minister until last week when he replaced Viktor Chernomyrdin as the Kremlin's choice to head the cabinet, will meet later today with the nation's top business leaders and banks.

The ex-diplomat and former spymaster is due to consult with the financiers about an economic reform programme as well as possible government appointments.

Primakov said in a television interview yesterday that he planned to put together a new government team by the end of the week that could manoeuvre Russia out of its stormy financial straits.

Opposition leaders in thestate Duma (the lower house of parliament) had preconditioned their support for Primakov on the inclusion of their deputies in his cabinet.

Those inducted into the cabinet are therefore tried and trusted hands while ``economic adventurers'' have been shunned.

His first deputy premier Yuri Maslyukov, who had been brought to power at the fag end of Sergei Kiriyenko's tenure, was known as an economic czar during the Soviet era when he headed the all-powerful planning commission. Maslyukov has already given enough indication of his desire to restore the planning system that was wound up by the free market champions. Among his uppermost priorities are a quick realisation of taxes and payment of back wages to the state employees by the year-end.

Old foreign office hand Igor Ivanov has been taken as the new foreign minister. He has served for decades as deputy foreign minister both in the Soviet era and the post-Gorbachev days. His appointment indicates that the new prime minister intends to firmly pursue thesame policy in world affairs as followed by Primakov as foreign minister.

While Igor Sergev has been retained as defence minister for his efforts to turn the Russian army into a professional one and implementation of army reforms, Sergei Stapashin stays as interior minister for his attempts to bring order in the disturbed areas in Caucasus, where a powerful Islamic movement is striving to spread its wings.

Sergei Shoigu has been appointed minister for emergency situations.

According to the Ria Novostsi, the constitution of the new cabinet indicates that President Boris Yeltsin has given Primakov a free hand to administer the affairs of the country the way he likes.