Russia not going to stop slowing timber exports - Putin
CHEREPOVETS. Sept 5 (Interfax) - Russia is not planning to drop its strategy of reducing its exports of raw timber, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
"We will not be abandoning the strategy of reducing the export of unprocessed timber. This is a principled position," Putin said.
Russia has moved toward Finland in freezing an earlier-approved schedule for increasing export duties on un-sawn timber, Putin said. "I want to emphasize that the situation is temporary. We want our friends and partners to get oriented in timely fashion and adopt some measures, they have found resolutions and decisions together with us that are acceptable for both parties," he said.
Putin noted that exports of 'round timber' have more than halved over the past three years from 50 million cubic meters to 21 million cubic meters per year. Russia has begun to carry out 98 projects involving the thorough processing of timber.
