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Russia signs ‘comprehensive partnership’ deal with Egypt

October 16, 2018 at 11:15 am

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree to sign “a comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation agreement at the highest level” with Egypt, Russia’s Sputnik reported yesterday.

Putin’s announcement coincided with the beginning of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s three-day visit to Russia earlier today.

The presidential decree, which was published on the Kremlin’s official website, stated that the Russian Foreign Ministry has agreed on “the signing of a treaty between the Russian Federation and the Arab Republic of Egypt on comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.”

“The signing of the treaty will be carried out at the highest level,” the decree read.

The Kremlin said earlier that Putin “would meet with Al-Sisi in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi on 17 October to discuss ways of boosting bilateral cooperation between the two countries.”

READ: Egypt to begin building nuclear reactor in 2020

Al-Sisi is also due to hold talks with other senior officials including Russian Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev.

Mutual cooperation between the two countries developed after Al-Sisi was sworn into office in June 2014, particularly at the level of military cooperation, however, relations strained after a Russian passenger jet crashed over the Sinai Peninsula in October 2015.

The resumption of Russian air traffic to Egypt earlier this year played a significant role in mitigating relations between the two countries.

Putin paid a visit to Egypt for the second time last December, during which he agreed to build Egypt’s Al-Dabaa nuclear power plant. He also visited the North African country in February 2015 to attend the signing of a number of deals between Cairo and Moscow.