Mr Medvedev said in particular in his message:
“You are set to discuss a wide range of topical issues concerning the forestry industry’s development prospects. They include technological modernization of the sector, the introduction of new advanced technology and innovations, investment policy, infrastructure enhancement, and of course, effective measures for protecting the environment, preventing forest fires and combating uncontrolled logging.
Bringing together Russian and foreign specialists, your forum makes an important contribution to resolving these important tasks and making us better stewards of the planet’s natural wealth, thereby adding to the economic and environmental prosperity of the participant countries”.
The forum, which brings together forestry and timber industry representatives from 19 countries, is taking place in St. Petersburg on October 4–10, 2008.