Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi is working towards signing a deal with Thales Alenia Space (TAS) to purchase an observation satellite and a military telecommunications satellite, La Tribune reported on Thursday. The contract of the deal amounts to approximately one billion euros for the two satellites, according to the French economic and financial newspaper. Brigadier-General Mohamed Saeed El-Assar, minister of military production, arrived in Paris on Wednesday and is expected to return on 22 December with an outline of the deal, according to the French newspaper. La Tribune reported that, although there are a number of steps that need to be taken before the two countries reach an agreement (such as determining the orbital position of the satellites), a contract could be signed at the end of this year or early in 2016. Egypt has previously purchased 24 Rafale fighter jets, a FREMM frigate, and two Mistrals from France, with the jet deal amounting to 5.2 billion euros. Paris and Cairo have enjoyed close economic ties in the past, but the turmoil that followed the overthrow of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in 2011 left Western governments wary of signing deals, especially ones pertaining to defence. In February, the same month the jet contract was signed, Egypt made a deal with the French company VINCI Bouygues Travaux Public to complete the construction of the fourth phase of Cairo's third metro line. In July, Egypt's navy celebrated the arrival of the new FREMM multipurpose frigate. In October, Cairo and Paris signed the deal for two mistral warships. source: Ahram Online
