An Egyptian commercial delegation will visit Russia in the coming days to discuss the obstacles that stop the flow of the Egyptian exports, like potatoes and citrus, to the Russian market, said Egyptian Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade, Hatem Saleh. These statements came during the talks that were held with the Russian ambassador to Cairo, Serge Kerbetchenko. The meeting had taken up the future of the economic relations between the two countries and ways of enhancing the intra-region trade and joint investments between Egypt and Russia in the coming period. The minister said that the EgyptianRussian relations are historic and strategic ones, pointing to the necessity of enhancing the commercial and economic relations between the two countries, besides the intra-region trade, and achieving the utmost advantage of the available possibilities and opportunities; targeting the increase of the joint investments and attracting more Russian investments to Egypt. Russia has an important role in the global economic plan, Saleh said; calling on the Russian side to maximize the preferential treatment programs with Egypt through increasing the customs decrease rates on the Egyptian imports to the Russian market, from 25% to 50%, according to the signed cooperation protocol between the two sides. Saleh has pointed out that the meeting tackled the necessity of holding a joint governmental trade committee between the two countries so as to offer new initiatives; aiming at developing and deepening the commercial and economic relations between Egypt and Russia. He stressed on the significance of the private sector's positive role through reshaping the Egyptian and Russian joint business council. On his part, the Russian ambassador said there are preparations for the visit of the Russian Minister of Agriculture to Egypt in the coming period; referring that his countries keen on expanding and reinforcing the commercial and economic relations with Egypt, as one of its priorities during the forthcoming period. The volume of trade between the two countries reached $ 2.8 billion in 2011, divided into $ 480 million Egyptian exports and $ 2.3 billion Russian exports to Egypt.
