President Dmitry Medvedev said the government would support construction of pulp and paper mills close to the country's borders to increase export of more value-added products.

"Construction of  new pulp and paper mills remains a pressing issue for our country," Medvedev said during a government meeting in Chita.

Last November, Russia delayed an increase in timber-export duties that were scheduled to come into force January 01, 2009.

According to the Ministry for Economic Development, Russia, the world's biggest timber producer, imports a third of all the timber-derived products it consumes.

Reference:
The biggest producers of pulp and paper in Russia include South Africa's Mondi Group and Ilim Group, part-owned by International Paper. Medvedev became a senior manager at Ilim in 1993 and became a board member of one of its subsidiaries in 1998, a position he held until entering the administration of then-President Vladimir Putin in 2000.

Based on moscowtimes.com