WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- President George Bush promised the president of Slovakia this week that the United States may soon lift visa requirements for his country.
Bush said at a meeting Thursday with President Ivan Gasparovic that he expects "a positive decision for the people of your good country" in the middle of November, the EU Observer reported.
The Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania are expected to be added to the visa-waiver group at around the same time, the newspaper said.
Slovakia has met one difficult requirement for visa waiver -- a rejection rate of below 10 percent for visa applications. The country also signed an agreement this week with the United States on sharing information about suspected terrorists.
"It will enable law enforcement officials on both sides of the Atlantic to investigate crime more efficiently and more quickly and will help us work together to prevent criminals and terrorists from traveling," U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said about the agreement.
