Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 18 July (BelTA) – It is necessary to resume consultations on the draft agreement between the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Korea on short-term visa-free travels of citizens. Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich made the statement as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Belarus Kim Yong Ho, BelTA has learned.

Mikhail Myasnikovich said: “I think we should return to the draft agreement on visa-free travels of citizens. In December 2013 the Belarusian side sent the relevant proposal to the Korean side in accordance with the established procedure. We would like to resume consultations. We are very much interested in signing the agreement on short-term visa-free travels using civil passports. Moreover, Russia and Korea have signed the relevant agreement and there is no border between Belarus and Russia. The fact creates certain difficulties.”

The Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus noted that the level of economic development between Belarus and Korea allows talking about the advisability of signing such an agreement.

Mikhail Myasnikovich pointed out that Belarus is interested in expanding interaction with the Republic of Korea in many other fields, too, in particular, in the area of interparliamentary cooperation. “I reckon the potential of opportunities for parliamentary cooperation is underappreciated, first of all, at the level of contacts between working parliamentary groups. Since a new parliament has been elected in the Republic of Korea, we would like the relevant working group set up for the sake of active work,” he added.

The Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus concluded that it would be useful to invigorate contacts between the leaders of the parliaments of Belarus and Korea. “We renew our invitations for the leadership of the Korean parliament to visit Belarus,” concluded Mikhail Myasnikovich.