MOSCOW, March 18, 2004. (RIA Novosti) - The Russian government has approved the draft Forest Code today, Minister of Natural Resources Yuri Trutnev told reporters.
"The draft Forest Code has been approved on the whole, but Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov has instructed the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Natural Resources to finalise the document within a month," said Mr. Trutnev. In his words, the Forest Code envisages that forest resources become private property after 15 years of lease.
