Meeting between Roscosmos, NASA heads possible but not this year - Roscosmos deputy general director

MOSCOW. Dec 8 (Interfax) - Roscosmos head Yury Borisov and NASA Administrator Bill Nelson may meet in the foreseeable future, but that won't happen this year, Roscosmos Deputy General Director for International Cooperation Sergei Savelyev told Interfax on Thursday.

"We planned to meet at the International Astronautical Congress in Paris in September. Yet, as you know, our delegation was denied visas, and no meeting was held," Savelyev said in response to a question whether a meeting between the heads of Roscosmos and NASA was possible.

"Both sides wish to talk, but there is definitely no time for it this year," he said.

The date of a Borisov-Nelson meeting in 2023 is being discussed, Savelyev said.

"We are continuing cooperation at the ISS, and the first cross-flight has been performed and more are coming under the agreement," he said.

Borisov told Interfax on September 7 he had discussed current issues with the NASA administrator by phone.

Roscosmos said on September 16 that Russia took no part in the International Astronautical Congress in Paris as most members of its delegation had been denied visas.