Last update - 00:00 24/09/2007
Russia, Israel to sign deal on removal of visa requirements
By Barak Ravid and Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondents
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and her Russian counterpart Segei Lavrov will meet on Monday in New York to sign a paper okaying on principle the mutual removal of VISA requirements for tourists.
In recent weeks, the cabinet and a special ministerial committee have discussed the benefits of such agreement in a series of meetings.
While the Ministry of Tourism supported the deal saying it would promote tourism and business, the Interior Ministry opposed it, claiming it would facilitate criminals' entrance to Israel.
In a compromise, the Foreign Ministry proposed it first ascertain whether Moscow would be willing to remove its travel restrictions before Israel reaches its decision on the matter.