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Russia-EU PPC to discuss easier visa rules, migration, crime fight

An official opening ceremony is scheduled for Monday evening, but a working meeting and its result summarizing is scheduled for Tuesday on the agenda of the PPC session

WARSAW, October 10 (Itar-Tass) —— The Russia-EU Permanent Partnership Council (PPC) on Freedom, Security and Justice will open its 15th session here on Monday.

Russian Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov, who is the presidential special envoy for cooperation with the European Union in freedom, security and justice, will head the Russian delegation at the forum. Officials from the Russian Interior Ministry, the Federal Security Service and the Federal Migration Service will also participate in the PPC session. EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom will represent the European Commission. Justice Minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski and Interior Minister Jerzy Miller will represent Poland, which is presiding in the EU Council.

The Russia-EU Permanent Partnership Council will discuss the development of cooperation between the EU and Russia in freedom, security and justice and will set guidelines to broaden and develop this cooperation, Polish organizers said in a statement.

The PPC session will focus on “visa-free travel talks, including easier visa rules, migration and the struggle against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking,” the Russian Justice Ministry reported. “The interlocutors are to approve a working schedule of the Russian-EU migration dialogue for 2011-2012, consider the negotiated list of joint steps towards a visa-free regime of short-term trips for the citizens from Russia and the EU states and are to sum up the results, which the experts achieved on the guidelines of cooperation,” the Justice Ministry said. The PPC session “will set priorities in building a common Russia-EU space in freedom, security and justice,” the Russian Justice Ministry reported.

An official opening ceremony is scheduled for Monday evening, but a working meeting and its result summarizing is scheduled for Tuesday on the agenda of the PPC session.

The Russia-EU Permanent Partnership Council held the previous 14th session in St. Petersburg last May. High on the agenda of the previous PPC session was visa-free travel talks between Russia and the EU. The PPC members decided to continue these talks and to take gradual steps on the issue through easier visa rules.

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