Egypt’s Sisi Negotiates Arms Deal in Russia

Local Editor

Egyptian army chief and likely new president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets top Russian officials on Thursday to negotiate a $2-billion arms deal that is meant to replace subsiding assistance from old ally Washington.

Al-Sisi arrived in Moscow on Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy for so-called "2+2" talks with their Russian counterparts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrvov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had made a landmark trip to Cairo in November aimed at reviving ties that had remained stagnant since Soviet times.

Diplomats in Moscow said Thursday's talks would focus on regional security issues such as the Syria crisis as well as trade and economic relations.

But Moscow officials have confirmed that a large part of the discussions will focus on striking a massive new Russian arms delivery deal.
The head of Russia's state industrial holding company said after the Cairo meeting that Moscow was on the verge of reaching a landmark agreement to deliver air defense systems to Egypt's army.

Rostec chief Sergey Chemezov said on November 18 that "some contracts with Egypt have already been signed -particularly one concerning air defense systems."
But he later clarified that he was referring only to a framework agreement and not to firm delivery contracts.
"Because of arising funding problems, the Egyptian side is still discussing these contracts," Chemezov said at the time.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team