Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Maher will arrive in Moscow Thursday evening to discuss developing Russian-Egyptian relations and means to ease the tension in the Middle East, Itar-Tass news agency reported, cited by KUNA.
The visit's agenda is very tight, the information bureau chief of the Egyptian embassy in Moscow, Magdi Deif, told Itar-Tass.
The talks to be held with Russian leaders are scheduled to be held on Friday. The meetings will begin with consultations in the State Duma with Duma international affairs committee chairman, Dmitri Rogozin.
The focal part of the visit will be talks between the Egyptian minister and his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov, with whom Maher plans to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
"We want to hear the viewpoint of Russia on the developments in the Palestinian territories and present our view of the problem," Maher said on the eve of the visit.
In addition, the minister will meet with President of the Russian chamber of commerce and trade Yvgeny Primakov to discuss creating a favorable climate for further development of trade and economic ties between Cairo and Moscow.
Maher will conclude the results of the Moscow consultations at a meeting with reporters in the Itar-Tass agency bureau.
Maher will end his visit to the Russian capital Friday evening.
He is due to leave Moscow for Beirut, where a meeting of Arab foreign ministers is scheduled to take place on May 18. During the meeting, Arab countries are expected to determine their final stance for the planned international Middle East peace conference. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
