The Russian Finance Minister, Alexei Kudrin, has been quoted as saying that information on stocks and output of platinum group metals may be disclosed next year.

Such data are currently considered state secrets in the country, a hangover from a more authoritarian era in Russia's history, and a stumbling block that threatened the success of Norislk Nickel's takeover bid for the US group Stillwater Mining.

Kudrin told reporters over the weekend that the government intended to present amendments to legislation on state secrets to the State Duma, or lower chamber, in the Russian Parliament.

He reportedly said that the government expects the change to be approved during the first quarter of 2004, although in January 2002 he predicted that pgm figures would be widely available during the first quarter of this year.

Mr Kudrin, who also serves as deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying that 'at present, there is no need to keep secrets about these reserves.'

Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov told reporters at the beginning of last month (July 9th) that information on reserves and output of platinum, diamonds and palladium might be declassified.

Mr Kudrun has been leading the government commission set up to investigate the relaxation of rules governing state secrets.