Russia and Saudi Arabia sign deal for visa-free travel

MOSCOW, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Russia and Saudi Arabia on Monday signed an agreement to implement a visa-free regime for tourists and business people from the two countries for up to 90 days, the Russian government and the Saudi foreign ministry said.

The deal was signed on the sidelines of the Saudi-Russian Investment and Business Forum in Riyadh.

"As for the visa-free regime, now that the agreement has been signed, the legal procedures for exchanging notes and bringing the document into force will follow. In my opinion, this will make it possible to visit our countries visa-free at the beginning of next year," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, who travelled to Saudi Arabia, said in a televised interview.

Novak added that Russia and Saudi Arabia will also work on increasing the number of airlines operating direct flights between the two countries.

(Reporting by ReutersWriting by Maxim RodionovEditing by Andrew Osborn)