Russia, Georgia continue efforts to ease visa regime — ministry

Moscow and Tbilisi are discussing simplification of the visa regime between the two countries, Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday, adding that the work continues. "Speaking about simplification of the visa regime with Georgia, the discussion is under way despite the fact that Tbilisi initiated severing of diplomatic relations. That was not our choice and several practical steps have been assumed recently aimed at easing the visa regime, and the work continues," she said. "Of course, the issue of easing the visa regime cannot be solved in one day, week or even month. We assume it is necessary to bend every effort to ease the humanitarian and civil ties between our countries," Zakharova said. "At least the department of information and press (Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry) is doing all it can with regards to visits of Georgian journalists to Russia," she added.