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Air traffic between Moscow and Cairo may be resumed in February 2018

The date for signing the relevant intergovernmental protocol "depends primarily on the Egyptian party," Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said

© AP Photo/Thomas Hartwell

CAIRO, December 11. /TASS/. The air service between Moscow and Cairo can be resumed in February 2018, Russia is ready to sign the relevant protocol in the coming days, Russia’s Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov told reporters.

"I'll give you a conservative forecast: in early February," the minister said when asked when the flights between Moscow and Cairo could be resumed.

Read also

Russian government approves Egypt-Russia aviation security protocol

According to Sokolov, the date for signing the relevant intergovernmental protocol "depends primarily on the Egyptian party."

"We will be ready to do this already this week," the minister said.

He added that so far it concerns only one route of regular air service - between the two capitals.

When asked what companies will make flights, Sokolov suggested that from the Egyptian side it will obviously be EgyptAir.

"We had the Aeroflot company which is in charge of this route," he said.

On Monday, speaking after talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi President Vladimir Putin said that in general, Russia is ready to open direct air service between Moscow and Cairo.

Read also

Egypt promises new air terminal for Russian tourists

Moscow and Cairo have been negotiating the resumption of air flights to the country since late 2015. Russia stopped all air flights to Egypt following a terrorist attack on a jet owned by the Kogalymavia air carrier (flight 9268) last October. The Russian A321 passenger jet crashed in Sinai some 30 minutes after takeoff from Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh. The plane carried 224 people on board, mostly Russian tourists. None survived.

The Russian transport minister said back then that Russia would resume air flights to Egypt only after the country had improved security standards at its airports.

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