Egypt denied Monday the possibility of allowing any foreign military bases on its territories, state-run Ahram Online website reported. According to the report, Egypt's presidential spokesman refuted recent media reports that Moscow is negotiating with Cairo to construct a military base near the Mediterranean. The media reports, started by Russian daily newspaper Izvestia, claimed that Russia is negotiating with Egypt to rent a number of military facilities, including an air base in Sidi Barani town, 95 km east of the Egyptian-Libyan borders, starting 2019. A military source told Ahram that Cairo strongly rejected other countries' requests to build military bases in Egypt, explaining that foreign military bases run against the principles of the government. Egypt and Russia, once close allies in the 1960s until late 1970s, have reestablished strong military and political ties since Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took office in 2014. Last year, the navies of the two countries held their first ever joint naval drill off the coast of the Mediterranean city of Alexandria that last for eight days. Source: Xinhua
