Turkey, Russia set to lift visa requirements nexth month

Turkey and Russia are likely to bring in a visa-free arrangement next month following the signing of a bilateral agreement between the two countries, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday. Speaking at the Bosniak Institute in Sarajevo, Erdogan said both countries are determined to eliminate visa requirements in May, during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's planned visit to Turkey. Twenty-five countries have recently reciprocally annulled visa requirements with Turkey, and a similar process with Russia has also started. Erdogan said that they considered including the elimination of visa requirements between the two countries in a high-level strategic cooperation agreement that they will clinch during Medvedev's visit. Erdogan said Russian officials are also positive about the move.