Cairo Hopes Direct Flights From Russia To Egypt's Resorts To Be Resumed Soon - Lawmaker

Sumaira FH Published September 19, 2019 | 04:43 PM

Cairo expects that direct flights from Russia to Egyptian resort cities will be resumed as soon as possible, Head of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Egyptian Parliament Karim Darwish told Sputnik on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2019) Cairo expects that direct flights from Russia to Egyptian resort cities will be resumed as soon as possible, Head of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the Egyptian Parliament Karim Darwish told Sputnik on Thursday.

Russia suspended civilian air traffic to Egypt in November 2015 after a bomb brought down a Russian plane, which took off from Sharm el-Sheikh, and killed all 224 people on board. Before regular flights between Moscow and Cairo were resumed in April 2018, Egypt was forced to seriously enhance its security at airports. Charter flights between Russia and Egyptian resorts are yet to be resumed.

"The Egyptian people are always welcoming the Russian people to come to Egypt anytime. And we are doing all that we can to resume direct flights between [Russia and Egyptian resorts]. We will spare no efforts to make sure that all the requirements are fulfilled.

And we hope that it will be back as soon as possible. It is in your [Russia's] hands. If you wish to have it this year, I am sure it will be this year," Darwish said.

The lawmaker expressed hope that Moscow would authorize such flights in the near future, adding that Cairo was in constant contact with Moscow on the issue.

"We are doing what we can from our side. We hope that the Russian authorities will authorize it very soon. We have constant contact with a Russian delegation. There are always bilateral visits for the two sides to make sure that all the requirements that are requested by the Russian side are fulfilled from our side," the lawmaker stressed.

Darwish also noted that the issue of resuming flights to the Egyptian resort cities would be on the agenda of possible talks during the Russia-Africa summit in Sochi.