Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has regarded the proposal for single visa regime for the Silk Road countries as logically and practically justified.

Today in Baku during a press conference on the results of international conference "Taste of Silk Road: gastronomy, culture & tourism" UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai said that the suggestion of Iranian Vice President Hassan Mousavi to facilitate the visa regime between the Silk Road countries is an important issue, which would help lift the existing restrictions and eliminate bureaucracy.

"All the four proposals voiced a day before by the Iranian Vice President on the Silk Road are logically and practically justified. Recently, G20 included in the agenda of important issues a point on support of development of cooperation in the field of tourism, including the process of facilitating the visa regime between the countries. We don’t require the countries to be in conflict with their laws and interests. We only seek to reduce bureaucratic obstacles that hinder the development of tourism," the UNWTO Secretary General said.

He emphasized that the issue was discussed in the meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held on Thursday.

"In the meeting President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is becoming a model for others in how to do the right thing and facilitate the processes necessary for the development of international cooperation. All of the Silk Road countries should aim to facilitate international communication, starting from Japan and China, and ending with Spain and Portugal. Facilitating of these formalities is a very smart and logical proposal," Mr. Rifai said.

Yesterday, Mr. Mousavi proposed to organize a general assembly of the Silk Road countries and to hold its first session in Iran at the end of 2013. He also proposed to declare 2014 the Year of Silk Road and to declare one day in the UNWTO calendar the Day of Silk Road and to ensure communications - to create free visa regime, similar to the Schengen regime and develop the Atlas of the Silk Road.

07.09.2012 14:59