Georgia scraps visa requirements for many Western countries

The Georgian government announced on 13 April 2005 that Georgia will unilaterally cancel visa requirements for citizens of the United States, Japan, Israel, Canada and EU member countries as an expression of Georgia's good will and willingness to to ease entry for these citizens in Georgia.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Kakha Sikharulidze told reporters at a news conference on April 13 that the government will submit relevant amendments to the law to Parliament in the near future.

Georgia, which borders the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia, was a Soviet republic until regaining independence in 1991.