Russian Duma's speaker to meet with Egyptian leaders during visit to Cairo

MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. State Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin leaves for a two-day visit of Egypt on Tuesday. His itinerary includes talks meeting with Egyptian state and political leaders. "My itinerary includes a meeting with Mr. President (Abdel Fattah) al-Sisi and the speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aleem," he told reporters. On the eve of his trip to Cairo, he formulated clearly Russia's position on the prospects for a resumption of flights between Russia and Egypt, which is very sensitive for both countries. "The sides are certainly interested in a full resumption of economic relations including tourism and commercial flights but this will be possible only if security of our citizens is guaranteed," Naryshkin said. He confirmed Russia's plans to continue close cooperation with Egypt on international and regional security and collaboration in the struggle with international terrorism, adding that he would take part in the opening ceremony of the 48th Cairo international book fair. An A321 jet of the Russian charter airline Metrojet crashed in the central area of the Sinai Peninsula at daybreak on October 31 just 23 minutes after takeoff from the Red Sea beach town of Sharm el-Sheikh. It was bound for St Petersburg. All the 217 passengers and seven crewmembers aboard died. On November 6, President Vladimir Putin agreed with the recommendations of the National Anti-Terrorist Committee to suspend flights between Russia and Egypt. The presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said the measure would last longer than the end of investigation of the disaster and would stay in effect until Egypt ensured a proper level of security for the Russian holidaymakers. Read more