France and Russia Dispute Over Journalist Visa Policies
PARIS (Reuters) - France dismissed on Friday Russia's claims that the refusal of visas to Russian journalists was a reciprocal measure, after the Kremlin said France's refusal to grant visas to two Russian journalists was discriminatory.
But the French foreign ministry spokesman added that France would re-examine the situation regarding accreditation rights for legitimate Russian journalists in France, after Russia refused to renew the accreditation for Le Monde's Moscow correspondent.
Moscow had said journalist Benjamin Quenelle's accreditation was not extended after France declined to grant a visa to a Russian reporter.
"This is yet another obstacle to the freedom to inform, at a time when working conditions for journalists in Russia, whether Russian or foreign, are already extremely poor and press freedom is not respected," the foreign ministry spokesman told reporters.
(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Makini Brice and Sudip Kar-Gupta)
