02/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - According to AFP, the Russian Foreign Affairs Minister, Igor Ivanov, has spoken in favour of abandoning the visa regime between the EU and Russia, at a speech in Moscow to the Institute of International Relations. "For objective reasons, Russia has no intention of making a formal request to become a member of the European Union in the near future", the Minister is reported to have stated, adding that "all of its strategic and economic interests lie in Europe"...