Russian defense minister in Cairo to discuss military cooperation with Egypt

Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Cairo Monday night for a two-day visit to discuss military cooperation with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Shoigu is heading a delegation of 26 officials who were welcomed by Egyptian minister of defense and military production Sedki Sobhi.

The delegation will discuss developments in the region concerning Yemen and Libya in addition to Syria, where Russia is now conducting airstrikes against the ISIS group.

Egypt and Russia have been carrying out investigations into the crash of a Russian airliner in central Sinai on 31 October, which killed all 224 people on board.

Russia claims that a bomb caused the crash, but the Egyptian authorities heading the investigation have not confirmed this.

Russia has halted flights from Cairo to Moscow, including all EgyptAir flights.

The two countries also signed on Thursday the Dabaa nuclear plant deal, which will consist of four third-generation reactors to be built on Egyptian ground in the North, and which aims at producing electricity.

Source: Ahram Online