MOSCOW, August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Egypt is content with the way the country’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was greeted on his first official visit to Russia and with the results of Russia-Egypt talks, the Egyptian Ambassador to Russia Mohamed Elbadri told Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency.
“The Egyptian side is very impressed with how our president was greeted in Russia,” said Elbadri.
According to the ambassador, the topics discussed by the two presidents included the creation of a free-trade zone between Egypt and countries of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia. Ambassador Elbadri expressed hope that a commission on the matter will be formed this week.
Another important issue under discussion was the possibility of creating a Russian industrial area in Egypt.
“If the final decision on this matter is favorable, we can begin working on the practical implementation of this idea at the end of this year, or at the latest at the beginning of the following year,” Elbadri explained.
According to Elbadri, the two presidents also discussed the possibility of increasing Egyptian agricultural exports to the Russian market, boosting Russian tourism in Egypt and joint counterterrorism measures.
Elbadri added that several months ago an official invitation to visit Egypt was sent to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I hope that as soon as the Russian president finds time for a visit, he will come to Cairo,” said Elbadri.
On Tuesday, President Sisi arrived in Russia on his first official visit since he was elected in May 2014. Sisi’s plane landed in Sochi, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov greeted him. Later that day Sisi had talks with President Putin in the Bocharov Ruchei presidential residence.
