11/09/2010

Finland supports visa-free travel between Russia, EU

Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) talks with his Finland's counterpart Tarja Halonen at the Gorki presidential residence outside Moscow November 8, 2010. (Getty Images / REUTERS / Mikhail Klimentyev/RIA Novosti/Kremlin )
November 09, 2010 (KATAKAMI/ RIA NOVOSTI) --- Finland supports the bilateral cancellation of visa requirements between Russia and the European Union, the country's president Tarja Halonen said on Tuesday.

Moscow has made visa-free travel between Russia and the EU a foreign policy priority.

"Finland is among the EU states that support a visa-free regime," she said. "The European Union and Russia should agree on practical measures required to make progress on the issue, quickly and with regard to all issues, including security."

Russia submitted a draft agreement on scrapping the visa regime to the EU at the Russia-EU summit in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don on May 31.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rebuked the EU in late September for dragging its heels on the issue, saying that Russia wanted a "clear answer."


MOSCOW, November 9 (RIA Novosti)