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Russian-Egyptian cooperation helps stabilize Middle East, says Lavrov

The Russian top diplomat noted that Moscow values the cooperation with Cairo and seeks to strengthen it

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, May 14. /TASS/. Cooperation between Russia and Egypt in light of the current events in the Middle East has a stabilizing influence on the region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Monday during the opening of the two-plus-two negotiations between the heads of Russian and Egyptian foreign and defense ministries.

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Palestinian diplomat wants Russia to play key role in Middle East peace process

"This two-plus-two format is quite unique to our relations with Arab countries, which, in my opinion, highlights the specific nature of Russian-Egyptian relations," Lavrov noted. "We expect that today’s dialogue will be productive, and that we will be able to report on its outcomes to our presidents."

The Russian top diplomat noted that Moscow values the cooperation with Cairo and seeks to strengthen it. "In our opinion, it’s hard to overstate the role of our strategic partnership, especially in light of current events in the Middle East and North Africa," he stressed. "Given the situation where new hotbeds of tension are snowballing with already existing ones in the region, our meeting is extremely relevant and timely."

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan