Russia Limits the Entry and Departure Across the Borders with China and Mongolia

The chief sanitary doctors and the administrations of the Russian regions which border on China and Mongolia have been charged with working out measures to limit the entry into Russia of citizens of China and Mongolia and the departure of citizens of Russia to these countries till special instructions. The letter on this score was sent on Tuesday by Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Russia Gennady Onishchenko.

Commenting on this letter to the RIA Novosti correspondent, the head of the Department of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspectorate, Sergei Ivanov, pointed out that at the present time "it is only supposed" to introduce limitations for the entry to and departure form of foreigners and Russian citizens of Russian territories bordering on China and Mongolia.

Appropriate measures on limiting the entry into Russia of citizens of China and Mongolia and the departure of Russian citizens to these countries "will be taken proceeding from the real situation and expediency," underscored Sergei Ivanov.

The aim of Onishchenko's letter is that the chief sanitary doctors should assess the situation in their regions in connection with the danger of the appearance of atypical pneumonia (SARS) in Russia and determine the complex of measures necessary for limiting across-border movements but without exceeding the bounds of the existing legislation, emphasised the head of the Department of the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspectorate of Russia. "We insistently recommend the Chinese side not to send its citizens to our country and shall assess the importance of their presence in the territory of Russia," said Sergei Ivanov. However, the Russian citizens coming from China and Mongolia are received in the territory of Russia "without limitations," concluded Sergei Ivanov.