MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Kremlin press service reported on Saturday.

"The heads of state warmly wished each other happy New Year," the statement said.

Both presidents went on to discuss the pressing issues of Russian-Egyptian relations, agreeing to continue to maintain close contacts in the future, the press service added.

Сooperation of the two countries

Putin and al-Sisi gave high marks to cooperation of the two countries in various spheres, including the construction of a nuclear power plant in El Dabaa and the creation of a Russian industrial zone in the Suez region.

"The leaders gave high marks to the attained level of bilateral cooperation in various spheres, including the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Egypt in El Dabaa and the creation of a Russian industrial zone in the region of the Suez Canal," the statement said.

The presidents also "noted with satisfaction" that Egypt would participate in St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in June 2022. As Egypt’s Ambassador to Moscow Nazih el-Nagari stated earlier, Cairo plans to demonstrate its investment and tourist potential at SPIEF.

Political settlement in Libya

Putin and al-Sisi noted the closeness of Russian and Egyptian approaches to the issue of settlement in Libya.

"They also touched on some international issues. The closeness of Russia’s and Egypt’s approaches to the political settlement in Libya was noted," the statement said.

On Wednesday, Libya’s Election Commission officially announced that the December 24 presidential and parliamentary elections were postponed, recommending the parliament to hold the first round of the presidential election in one month, on January 24, 2022, citing flaws in legislation as the cause of postponement.

The decision to hold the elections on December 24 became one of the main results of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum held in Switzerland at the beginning of the year with the participation of the country’s prominent representatives. A new government and the Presidential Council were created in anticipation of the elections, however, a week prior to the scheduled date it became clear that the elections would not be held.