Visa-Free Travel to the EU for Russians Can Wait: Finnish Minister
Published:
24 July 2003 y., Thursday
Finland's Interior Minister Kari Rajamaeki on Monday said visa-free travel to the European Union for Russians would not happen anytime soon due to considerable security concerns.
"I think that the abolition of visa requirement between the EU and Russia... is a very long-term goal," Rajamaeki told AFP.
"There are problems concerning the credibility of Russian travel documents, border control -- especially in the south -- organized crime, drugs and the number of illegally resident third country nationals in Russia," he noted.
"A hasty decision could cause serious risks to the internal security of the EU," Rajamaeki pointed out.
Earlier this month Richard Wright, the head of the EU delegation to Moscow, said the bloc was ready to start talks with Kremlin on the transition to a regime of visa-free travel between the Union and Russia.
The first technical discussions on the topic would take place prior to the next EU-Russia summit, scheduled for November, he added.
Šaltinis:
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
On 24 September in New York, Lithuania convened the first informal meeting of foreign ministers since the beginning of its Presidency of the Community of Democracies.
more »
September 22-24, Lithuanian and Estonian participants will gather in the training for steering groups of the Baltic Battalion's subdivisions to be held in the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Infantry Battalion in Rukla.
more »
On September 23-25, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the UK Naval Staff Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope will pay a formal visit in Lithuania.
more »
On 17 September in Kabul, six Italian soldiers were killed and four more were wounded...
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė sent congratulations to Mr. José Manuel Barroso on his approval by the European Parliament as President of the European Commission.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the accompanying delegation visiting Lithuania.
more »
Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius will take part in the meeting of NATO Defence Committee held in Lisbon, Portugal, September 18-21.
more »
During a meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs and External Relations Council on 14-15 September in Brussels, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas and his counterparts discussed the preparation for the European Council on 29-30 October and etc.
more »
On September 12 charitable table soccer tournament will be held in Alytus to raise funds for table soccer equipment to be sent to Afghanistan, for schoolchildren in Ghowr.
more »
September 8, Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė will attend celebrities of sanctification of a monument put up in Gruzdiškės Hill (Raseinių Township) for victims of resistance fights.
more »