MINSK, March 13 (BelTA) – Belarus invites Montenegro to set mutually acceptable visa regulations for the citizens of the two countries. This statement was made by Press Secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry Andrei Popov at a press conference on March 13. Montenegro plans to introduce visas for Belarusian citizens. The press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry told BelTA that an official representative of the Foreign Ministry confirmed that the Belarusian Embassy in Serbia received a note from the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Montenegro on March 10. This note informs that Montenegro intends to introduce visas for citizens of a number of countries, including Belarus on March 25. This decision of Montenegro is part of the obligations stipulated in the EU-Montenegro Stabilization and Association Agreement. ‘The Belarusian side believes that the introduction of visas on March 25, 2009, contradicts the existing agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia on the abolition of visas of March 4, 1999. As you know, Montenegro formalized the legal succession to this agreement,’ Andrei Popov underlined. According to him, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry has addressed the Foreign Ministry of Montenegro with a request to hold consultations on this issue to find a mutually acceptable solution. ‘With a view to creating most favourable conditions for traveling of Belarusian citizens to other countries, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry has been advocating the simplification of visa regulations and reduction of visa costs. We will propose a solution that will help promote friendly relations between the two countries, facilitate cooperation in the cultural, trade, economic and tourism areas and will not create barriers for the development of personal contacts between the citizens of the two states, in the conditions of the absence of diplomatic missions and consular institutions of Belarus and Montenegro on the territories of each other,’ Andrei Popov said.