Official: Russia hopes to restore air travel with Egypt by 2017

MOSCOW, Sep 16 (PRIME) -- Russia hopes to restore air travel with Egypt by the end of 2016, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, special presidential representative for the Middle East and Africa, told PRIME in an interview on Friday.

“We hope. The sooner the better,” he said, adding that Moscow must be sure that Egypt has done everything to ensure safety of Russian tourists.

Moscow suspended flights to Egypt in November 2015 after a major Russian plane crash over the Sinai Peninsula. Russia believes that the plane was likely brought down by a bomb.

Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said Wednesday that the ministry plans to send another group of experts to study security at Egyptian airports soon.

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