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Russian, Turkish top diplomats to discuss possible easing of visa regime

The sides also plan to discuss bilateral relations, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and Turkish Stream gas pipeline projects

MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, who came to the Russian capital on Tuesday, plan to discuss the possible easing of the visa regime for the two countries’ citizens, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Tuesday.

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Top diplomat says Turkey seeks visa-free regime with Russia

"There are plans to discuss prospects of simplifying the visa regime for the two countries’ citizens regarding the need to provide national security," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "We confirm the need to liberalize the visa regime for some categories of citizens. That said, the Russian side expects to boost the effectiveness of cooperation of the corresponding agencies of the two countries in the fight against international terrorism and organized criminality."

The negotiations with Lavrov on March 14 will dominate Cavusoglu’s program. The sides plan to discuss their positions on major issues of the bilateral agenda, analyze the implementation of the agreements reached by the Russian and Turkish presidents and study the implementation of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant and Turkish Stream gas pipeline projects. In addition to that, Cavusoglu will take part in the sixth meeting of the Joint Group for Strategic Planning chaired by the two countries’ foreign ministers. The Turkish minister plans to discuss preparations for a top-level meeting of the Council of Cooperation. He will also take part in the Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition (MIIT).

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