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Results of Russian experts’ visit to Cairo to be announced after New Year holidays

MOSCOW, December 29. /TASS/. Results of Russian experts’ visit to Cairo will be announced after New Year holidays, Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov told TASS Thursday.

"It will take time to handle the documents we received [regarding the inspection of Cairo airport - TASS], so right after January 9 we’ll definitely announce (the results of the visit - TASS)," Sokolov said, adding that he has no "preliminary results."

Earlier Sokolov said that the flights between Russia and Egypt would most probably be resumed in January 2017.

Russia and Egypt have preliminarily accorded a draft agreement on aviation security. Also, Russia’s Transport Ministry says that Egypt is principally not against the preliminarily submitted intergovernmental agreement.

Russian security experts are inspecting security measures at Cairo airport this week. They are to inspect special security equipment installed during renovation and modernization works in Cairo airport’s Terminal 2. The terminal will service flights from Russia, once the air traffic suspended after Russia’s passenger plane’s crash over Sinai in October 2015, is resumed. At this stage, Russia’s experts will inspect only the Cairo airport, they do not plan to travel to Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada. Experts will return to Moscow on December 30.

According to Sokolov, biometric access systems for personnel should be installed at Egypt’s airports for the air service to be resumed. Meanwhile, all other measures aimed at strengthening security have already been taken: the number of security guards has been increased, baggage control system has been improved, surveillance cameras have been installed at the airports. Egypt says biometric access systems will be installed by the end of the year. The total area of the refurbished terminal is 230,000 square meters, it has 14 exits, 28 telescopic passageways, eight baggage carousels, including one for oversized luggage, 38 registration counters and 40 passport control points. The country’s authorities say the terminal will serve up to 7.5 mln passengers a year.