Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia still faces a serious terrorist threat, Russian news agencies reported.

"Serious blows have been dealt to the terrorist underground. But we should be aware that this threat remains -- it is very serious," Putin said at a government presidium meeting to discuss a new federal anti-terrorist program.

"The government always pays close attention to the security issue and we have to discuss a new federal program," Putin said, noting that the previous program expired in 2007.

It is necessary to build up material and technical support to anti-terrorist agencies, he said, adding that "tens of billions" of rubles would be spent on the implementation of the program.

The prime minister also proposed that they should discuss international anti-terrorist agreements, which will be later submitted to the Russian president for approval.

Meanwhile, Putin said Russia should resume its positions in Cuba and other regions after listening to a report of Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin, who had just returned from Cuba.

During the recent visit to Cuba by Sechin and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Russia and Cuba agreed to restore traditional relations in all areas of cooperation and to build them up in every way.

(Xinhua News Agency August 5, 2008)