May 20, 2004. /Lesprom Network/. Russia is experiencing a steady growth of illegal timber-felling, Federal forestry management agency chief Valeri Roshupkin said at the International conference on the legal practice, management and trade in the timber sector on May, 18 2004 in the Ministry of natural resources management, ministerial public-affairs reported. According to Valeri Roshupkin, the amounts of Russian illegally-felled timber that flows to the world market is constantly increasing. The main consumers of Russian timber are European and Asian-Pacific markets that possess almost unlimited demand for timber products. The estimation of the real volumes of illegal felling and its impact on the economic state of affairs and on the environment is often affected by subjective emotions, political speculation and dishonest competence. Russian program of forestry regulation is one of the world’s toughest. As soon as the program receives proper financing, the violations will be brought down significantly. According to Valeri Roshupkin, Russian Ministry of natural resources greets the initiatives by Western countries to provide the order in the timber sector and transparency in timber transactions, including the negotiations on the legal practice and timber sector management (FLEGT) launched during the conferences in Bali (Indonesia) and Yanud (Cameroon). Russia, European and North Asian countries will undoubtedly benefit from the fulfillment of the similar regional program. The meeting was held on the initiative of the Ministry of natural resources prior to the international FLEGT conference that is to be held in Russia in spring 2005. The conference was attended by Russian deputy-minister of natural resources Irina Osokina, head of the economic and trade section of the European Commission embassy in the Russian Federation John Richards, director of the European forest institution Risto Paivinen, the World Bank chief timber sector specialist Gerhard Diterle, European, US, Canadian and Japanese delegations.