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Russian lawmaker Pushkov approves suspension of visa-free regime with Turkey

MOSCOW, November 27. /TASS/. The suspension of visa-free regime with Turkey will help to avoid terrorists penetration to Russia, Alexey Pushkov, the head of the Russian State Duma Committee for International Affairs, said on Friday.

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Russia to halt visa-free regime with Turkey from Jan. 1 — FM

"The halt of visa-free regime will affect the interests of Turkish entrepreneurs, businessmen, enterprises in Russia," Pushkov said. "But the main Russian aim is to ensure its security. Everyone knows that Turkey is a transit country for terrorists, especially for those of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group."

"This way we are blocking small people inflow coming to the Syrian region from Russia to fight for the IS and possible flow of those threatening our country’s security, including the people who may commit terrorist attacks in Russia," Pushkov said.

Russia has decided to suspend the visa-free regime with Turkey from the beginning of 2016, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday after a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem in Moscow.

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