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Transport minister hints at further visits to Egypt by Russia’s aviation experts

Only Cairo International Airport will be initially open for flights from Russia, since a new terminal serving Russian flights, among others, is being set up there

VLADIVOSTOK, September 2. /TASS/. The early September visit by Russian aviation specialists to Egypt to inspect the country’s airports will definitely not be the final one, Russian Transport Minister, Maxim Sokolov, informed TASS at the Eastern Economic Forum on Friday.

"I can say for sure that it will not be the last," he stated. "As planned, it will take place in early September, that is, during this or next week. However, at the moment, our delegation has not yet left for Egypt."

Vladimir Chertok, deputy head of Russia’s transportation watchdog, earlier said the next visit by Russian aviation specialists to Egypt to check the safety of local airports would be held next week.

According to Sokolov, the present inspection of Egypt’s airports should take just under a week.

"I guess a little less than a week," the minister said referring to the length of the next check. "They will need some time to prepare an expert report."

He added that the visit will principally focus on inspecting Cairo International Airport.

Sokolov earlier said that only Cairo International Airport would be initially open for flights from Russia, since a new terminal serving Russian flights, among others, is being set up there. Russian experts are supposed to conduct an audit and present conclusions before Moscow gives the airport’s security the green light.