EU, Russia in talks on visa-free travel

The EU and Russia have held more talks aimed at removing the need for travel visas for EU citizens visiting Russia and hope was expressed that this may be achieved by 2008.

Maltese travellers are among the EU citizens on whom Russia still imposes the need for a visa, while Russians entering Malta need one too.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov discussed the issue during a meeting this week in Luxembourg.

Mr Asselborn said following the meeting that Russia has already concluded bilateral agreements on visa facilitation with Germany, Italy and France and he feels that these agreements are "a good foundation" to conclude an overall agreement with the EU.

The ultimate objective, he said, must be the creation of a visa-free regime between the EU and Russia.

"I hope that we will be able to achieve this objective very soon, by 2008. The Russian minister said that he was aware that in order to reach agreement on the facilitation of visas, Moscow would have to agree to conclude a re-admission agreement with the EU but he also stressed that means would have to be found to avoid Russia being obliged to re-admit those who are not Russian citizens."

There was "will on both sides" to achieve this.

The European Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, stressed the indissoluble link between visa facilitation and the re-admission of illegal immigrants.

During a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers last November, Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo had urged the European Commission to step up its efforts in order to conclude discussions with Russia as soon as possible.