Venezuela and Russia forewent the visa formalities

According to the communication of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on March 6 will inure the agreement between the Russian Federation and the Venezuela about the renunciation of the visa formalities.

This agreement was signed on November 26, 2008 in Caracas. Therefore, all holders of valid passports – the citizens of Venezuela and Russia – can accomplish trips, including by transit, and stay during 90 days on the territory of concerned states without visa.

As always, this innovation will not concern the holders of diplomatic, official passports and those, who come for commercial or working activities.

Russian diplomatic relations with Latin America have already eight year old history. Since 2000 the President of Russia traveled five times to the region, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of RF – almost in twice more. Moreover the Heads of the States meet each other regularly at the international forums.

In the autumn of 2008 in the number of the Latin American countries – including Venezuela – with the great success took place the days of Russia, and Russian companies, before the crisis, manifested noticeable interest in the Latin American market. Russian commodity turnover with the countries of Latin America since 1992 grew ten times, in 2008 according to Mr. Lavrov the Minister of Foreign Affairs of RF, it took the mark in 15 billions dollars.

Furthermore, in 2008, during the events in the Caucasus, the Latin American countries supported Russia.

As noted Mr. Lavrov in the interview for the journal “Latin America”, “in accordance with the concept of foreign policy of the Russian Federation affirmed by the President Dmitry Medvedev, the development of political, commercial and economic and cultural collaboration with the Latin American states enters into the number of priorities of the international activity of our country”.

As far as the practical consequences of agreement are concerned, the tour operators doubt that they will be especially significant. The tourist business in this region depends on the advertisement and on economic prerequisites, whereas the execution of visas was sufficiently rapid and simple. Possibly, we can expect a small increase of the number of tourists, who travel without tour operators from both Russia and Venezuelan sides.