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Poland and Russia drafts visa-free border deal

Ministers Jonas Gahr St�re and Sergey Lavrov at border

Like Norway and Russia are discussing in the north, also Poland and Russia are now holding talks on visa-free travel for citizens living near the border.

Location

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov discussed a possible agreement on visa-free travel for near border residents in a phone conversation with the Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Tuesday this week. The two foreign ministers had a phone conversation about the issue, reports Itar-Tass.

The news agency quotes a source saying the two parts noted considerable progress in elaborating a relevant intergovernmental agreement about the issue.

Poland is bordering the Russian enclave Kaliningrad.

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To reach an ultimate agreement an amendment to the relevant European Union regulations is needed to expand the visa-free regime to the entire territory of Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad region and adjacent regions of Poland, according to Itar-Tass.

In the very north of Europe, Norway and Russia are also holding negotiations about visa-free travel for Norwegian and Russian inhabitants living within 25 kilometers on each side of the border. In Norway, that includes the town of Kirkenes, while on the Russian side of the border it includes the towns of Nikel and Zapolyarny.

Read alsoAgreement on visa freedom in borderzone delayed 

Both Norway and Poland are member states of the Schengen area.