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Arab League secretary general to discuss Middle East issues with Russian FM - spokesman

According to him, the Arab League secretary general will make a visit to the Russian capital upon the invitation that the Russian foreign minister conveyed to him during his visit to Egypt in late May

CAIRO, July 1. /TASS/. Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit will visit Moscow next week to discuss pressing issues facing the Middle East with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Arab League Spokesman Mahmoud Afifi said on Saturday.

According to him, the Arab League secretary general will make a visit to the Russian capital upon the invitation that the Russian foreign minister conveyed to him during his visit to Egypt in late May. Afifi said that the Arab League Secretary General was expected to hold talks with the Russian top diplomat on Wednesday, July 5. "The parties will evaluate the recent events taking place in the Middle East, focusing on the Palestinian issue, as well as on the conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen," the Arab League spokesman added.

Afifi pointed out that during his visit to Russia, the Arab League secretary general would also discuss "issues related to Arab-Russian political, economic and cultural ties." Besides, the parties will also consider the preparations for the fifth session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum, scheduled to take place in Russia later in the year. The previous ministerial meeting of this kind was held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates in February.

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