-Russia is ready to abolish visa regulations already tomorrow, Lavrov said in a newspaper interview. –Unfortunately, our European partners are not yet ready to take the equal steps [and] it is hard to say how much time they will need, he said, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Rossiiskaya Gazeta. In the interview, Mr. Lavrov mentions Norway as one of the countries with facilitated visa regulations. As reported by BarentsObserver, Russia and Norway are discussing the establishment of visa-free travel in the two countries’ border areas. Visa-free travel between the municipalities of Sør-Varanger and Pechenga should be established, Minister Lavrov concluded when meeting his Norwegian counterpart Jonas Gahr Støre in Kirkenes and Murmansk last summer. Mr. Lavrov meanwhile believes visa-free travel with the USA will not be possible in the foreseeable future.
