According to RIA Novostic, a state-run news agency in Russia, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov conveyed his “sincere gratitude” to Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi for Japan’s help in getting visas [when they met in New York for bilateral talks on Sept. 25].

Prior to the opening of the U.N. General Assembly session, the issuance of visas for 13 Russian officials had been pending.  

Lavrov told Motegi that Russian government officials, including an interpreter, had not been granted visas three days before the U.N. General Assembly session opened and thanked the Japanese Embassy in Russia for asking the U.S. side to issue the visas. (Abridged)