Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin made the following sensational statement at a meeting with his counterpart of Finland Matti Vanhanen held yesterday: Russia is ready to postpone the introduction of sharply increased export duties on timber raw materials, which was preliminarily planned for January 1, 2009, for 9 to 12 months.

This demonstrative “fine gesture of goodwill,” made on the eve of the EU-Rusia Summit, of course, had been calculated to induce some reciprocity and was put on the stage in full accordance with all the rules of dramatic art. Thanks to such a surprise chip of good fortune, Scandinavian consumers of Russian wood, who have been reduced to despair with a series of threats not only to increase the rates on export duties but even to impose a ban on exports of wood at all, will be well likely to repay to Russia, to return its kindness, with whatever they will be able to – from the membership in the WTO up to the renewal of the currently frozen negotiations on a partnership agreement.

EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton has already reacted with joy to the promise by Putin: “This is a very positive move by Russia… It immediately provides a more positive backdrop to the EU-Russia Summit this Friday.”