PARIS, June 25 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow and Paris have close positions on issues of visa-free travel regime between Russia and the European Union, Russian ambassador at large and chief negotiator on visa-free dialogue between Russia and the European Union, Anvar Azimov, told journalists on Tuesday.
According to the Russia diplomat he has had a number of contacts on this matter at the administration of the French president, at the Senate and with directors of the relevant departments of the French foreign ministry.
“Consultations with the French partners have proved that Paris basically supports Russia’s efforts to accelerate visa abolition between Russia and the European Union and shares Russia’s position that when the work on the list of joint steps is over it is necessary to begin direct talks to agree a draft agreement on visa abolition,” he said.
“Russia will insist on beginning such talks at the beginning of the next years,” the Russian diplomat noted. He stressed that the Russian side “thinks it possible to establish mutual visa-free regime already by the end of 2014.”
“Russia is ready for that both from the technical point of view and from the political point of view,” Azimov added.