27 January 2010
Belarus, European Commission hold visa consultations
MINSK, 27 January (BelTA) – A delegation of experts of the European Commission is in Minsk on a visit on 27-28 January. The delegation is led by Jean de Ceuster, head of the international aspects of migration and visa policy department of the Directorate-General for Freedom, Security and Justice of the European Commission. The European experts met with the Belarusian officials at the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The sides shared their opinions on the prospects of an agreement between Belarus and the EU on the simplification of visa procedures and the reduction of visa costs for Belarusians. The Belarusian delegation consisted of the Foreign Ministry officials (they were led by Alexander Ostrovsky, Head of the Chief Consular Department of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry), Aleksei Begun, Head of the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Interior Ministry and Yuri Fedorov, Head of the International Cooperation Department of the Belarus State Border Committee The delegation of the European Commission is set to hold a meeting at the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Interior Ministry of Belarus. The approaches to the solution of urgent migration problems will be high on the agenda of the meeting. In addition, the European guests are going to visit the passport bureau of the Interior Ministry.БЕЛТА