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Russia, Turkey to establish mechanism for consultations on easing visa restrictions

Russia's top diplomat suggested that in early autumn, "experts should hold a meeting to consider the steps that would be easy to agree on"

MOSCOW, August 24. /TASS/. Moscow and Ankara will soon establish a mechanism for consultations on easing visa restrictions for certain categories of Turkish nationals, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said following talks with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday.

"We have confirmed Russia’s readiness for talks on easing visa restrictions for certain categories of Turkish citizens, we will work on it in the near future," Lavrov said. "We have agreed to establish a mechanism for consultations in order to develop agreements on this matter," he added.

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Lavrov suggested that in early autumn, "experts should hold a meeting to consider the steps that would be easy to agree on." According to the Russian top diplomat, in the summer of 2017, Russia suggested that visas for truck drivers involved in international transport operations be mutually waived. "This means, we can do that rather quickly," he said.

"Holders of the so-called special passports make another category that our Turkish friends are very much interested in," Lavrov went on to say. "Apart from service passports that are issued both in Turkey and Russia, Turkey’s state system also has special passports. Last month, we sent a note to our colleagues, saying we were ready to consider the possibility of waiving visas for service and special passport holders," he added.

The two ministers also discussed preparations for the Bilateral Year of Culture and Tourism that will take place in 2019. "It will make a significant contribution to strengthening Russian-Turkish humanitarian cooperation," the Russian top diplomat noted.

In addition, Lavrov pointed to the growing Russian tourist inflow to Turkey. "In 2017, 4.7 mln Russians visited Turkey, which surpasses the record numbers of 2014," he said, adding that "the number is expected to reach five million this year."

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