Czech Republic and Poland to integrate visa desks at certain consulates outside Europe

The Czech Republic and Poland have agreed to integrate their visa desks at certain consulates outside Europe in order to cut expenses. The foreign ministers of the two countries met Thursday to discuss the arrangement. While the countries will maintain their respective ambassadors in the nations in question, the Czech embassy in Poland said that in practice one ambassador may assume the duties of the other. Austria and Hungary employ a similar system at embassies in certain small countries.