Medvedev says simplifying citizenship rules for native Russian speakers: Ifax

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday Russia was simplifying procedures for native Russian speakers who have lived in Russia or the former Soviet Union to gain Russian citizenship. "We are taking another step in this direction, we are discussing a draft federal law to simplify obtaining citizenship of the Russian Federation for foreign citizens or stateless persons who are recognized as native Russian speakers," he was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. He added that it would apply to people who had lived in Russia or on territory that was once part of the Russian empire or the Soviet Union. (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, editing by Jason Bush) nL6N0M315L