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Belarus plans to sign visa recognition agreement with Russia soon - foreign minister

The draft agreement was at a high degree of readiness and could be signed in April-May 2018

Belarus’ Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

Belarus’ Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey

© Mikhail Tereshchenko/TASS

MOSCOW, February 8. /TASS/. Belarus’ Foreign Minister Vladimir Makey has confirmed his country’s plans to sign in the immediate future an agreement with Russia on mutual visa recognition.

"As for citizens of third countries, today we are maintaining active dialogue with the Russian colleagues on a draft agreement on mutual recognition of visas and other issues linked with entry of foreign citizens to the countries of the Union State. The agreement, among other things, envisages the settlement of issues of crossing the Belarusian-Russian border by citizens of third countries. We plan to sign this bilateral intergovernmental document in the immediate future," Makey said in an interview with the Izvestia daily.

Russia’s Ambassador to Belarus Alexander Surikov said on Wednesday the draft agreement was at a high degree of readiness and could be signed in April-May 2018.

A joint working group was set up to work on the draft agreement. The sides noted earlier that they wanted this document to come into effect in the first quarter of 2018, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Russia. The agreement is expected to settle issues concerning Belarus’ current procedure of five-day visa-free stay and entry of foreign citizen to Russia via Belarus.

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