Germany and Russia need closer cooperation in many areas, and mutual visa liberalization for people under 25 years of age could become an important impetus in this regard, Dirk Wiese, the coordinator for Russia, Central Asia and the Eastern Partnership countries at the German Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th October, 2018) Germany and Russia need closer cooperation in many areas, and mutual visa liberalization for people under 25 years of age could become an important impetus in this regard, Dirk Wiese, the coordinator for Russia, Central Asia and the Eastern Partnership countries at the German Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik.
On Monday, Wiese told the Saarbruecker Zeitung newspaper that Europe, despite current political disagreements, should retain the existing positive potential of relations with Russia. According to the official, the European Union should offer visa-free regime to the Russian youth, thereby helping both sides to get rid of mutual prejudice.
"We have to think about visa liberalization especially for the younger generation, perhaps till the age of 25. We can discuss the age of course. I think that it would create very good prospects for the younger generation in Russia and also in Europe to get connected with each other, have more possibilities to visit the other country, and get closer cooperation in school and student projects," Wiese said on the sidelines of Petersburg Dialogue.
The diplomat noted that Russia and Germany should find areas where they could cooperate more closely.
"I think that it's very important for us to have a dialogue with Russia. Of course we have topics where we disagree at the moment on a political level, but we also have topics where we have close cooperation," he added.
Commenting on the visa liberalization proposal on Wednesday, Mikhail Kotyukov, the Russian Minister of Science and Higher Education, said that the ministry would carefully examine it, adding that the two countries are currently working out a bilateral roadmap on education and maintain regular constant.
The 17th meeting of the Petersburg Dialogue forum, aimed at promoting ties between the civil societies of Russia and Germany, was held in Moscow on October 7-8.
