Russia continues to push visa issue
Without solving the visa issue, it will not be possible to build an extensive and long-term partnership between Russia and the EU, President Dmitry Medvedev told German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
-Our position is absolutely simple – Russia is ready for the abolishment of visas, President Medvedev underlined in the press conference following his meeting with Germany’s Angela Merkel last week.
Read also: Progress in talks on visa-free travel
Medvedev also stressed that the Russians are taking significant measures to facilitate a new visa regime, among them introducing a new registration system, applying biometric passports and concluding readmission agreements.
-However, the most important thing is, in my opinion, that it [visa-free traveling] is exclusively important for our citizens, both for the people in Russia and for the people in the European Union, Medvedev stressed. –If we agree about this, it will qualitatively improve our lives and make us true, real partners, he continued.
In her response to the Russian pressure in the visa issue, Chancellor Merkel underlined that Germany follows a cautious course. Still, she stressed that “it is time to start a concrete phase in resolving the issue”.
–This question can no longer be put aside, she admitted, and confirmed that the sides now are looking at concrete aspects for the introduction of visa-free travel.
The German-Russian top meeting in Meseberg, Germany, was held only a week after the EU-Russia Summit in Rostov-on-Don, an event which gave no breakthrough in the visa issue, but still brought the parts a significant step forward.
In the meetings, the two state leaders also agreed about the possibility to establish an EU-Russian committee on foreign policy and security affairs. According to a memorandum signed by the parts, the new committee will first of all be a forum for discussion, but also an arena for elaborating principles of Joint operations.
