Soviets May Be Able to Visit as Tourists
The Soviet Union may soon allow individual citizens to travel to the West as tourists, a Soviet law teacher said Friday.
Vladimir Kartashkin, a member of a panel holding a news conference on European security and cooperation, said Moscow is considering starting a travel agency separate from the visa-issuing authority OVIR that would give permission for individuals who wish to take holidays abroad.
“Any Soviet citizen wanting to go to the West with the aim of visiting a particular country, historical site or place of interest, would be able to come to this bureau and get permission to leave,” he said.
At present, people in the Soviet Union can visit the West only if they have close relatives there, receive official invitations or join organized group tours.
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