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Russia ready for visa-free regime by end of 2011

Russia will in 2011 resolve all issues needed for the introduction of a visa-free regime with the EU, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says.

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-We have an agreement [with the EU] to make a list of questions which needs to be resolved before a visa-free regime can be introduced. We expect to actively resolve these questions this year, at least we will do our best to this, Lavrov told journalists at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports.

The foreign minister stressed that he sees no technical or organizational hindrances for the introduction of the new travelling regime. He also maintained that the issue is not being politicized by European partners.

As reported by BarentsObserver, Russia and the EU in their joint summit in December agreed to take concrete steps towards visa-free travelleing.

Read also: EU and Russia to start visa talks