Russia intends to “start negotiations with Israel on the cancellation of visas in the near future

Russia intends to start negotiations with Israel in the near future to coordinate the draft intergovernmental agreement on the cancellation of the visa regime, the Russian Foreign Ministry says. Israel made such an offer at the end of August.

Where negotiations will be held, has not yet been decided. The Russian Foreign Policy Department expects that "Israeli colleagues, without hesitation, will present their vision of" such an intergovernmental agreement, said the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mikhail Kamynin, whose answer is published on a href = "http://www.mid.ru/brp_4.nsf/sps/dbc215846101e27ec3257363004f15"> the website of the department.

The diplomat recalled that the heads of the foreign policy departments of Russia and Israel on September 24 in New York agreed to start negotiations in order to establish a visa-free regime in relations between the two countries. “The step is very important, because it indicates the mutual interest of the parties to best promote the development of humanitarian ties, bilateral cooperation in various fields,” he added.

Kaminin also recalled that "the initiative proposal with which the Israeli side made on this score is, in fact, the development of fundamental ideas voiced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Israel in April 2005."

"It was the President of Russia that formulated while one of the central tasks of facilitating contacts between our two countries and peoples," Kamynin said.

As reported, according to the results of negotiations with the Israeli Foreign Minister in New York, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the parties plan to complete preparations for the abolition of the visa regime before the end of 2007.

Earlier, the Cabinet of Ministers of Israel decided to introduce a visa -free regime for Russians, but it will enter into force only after making a response from the Russian government.