President Mohamed Morsi arrived to Moscow on Thursday night, and is set to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin. The presidency laid out seven economic benefits of the two-day visit on its Facebook page. Morsi's office indicated that the trip would strengthen economic ties between Egypt and Russia and attract Russian investment into the Egyptian economy. The presidency also stated that Russia had expressed interest in developing certain industries in Egypt in which Russia had been heavily involved in the past, including iron, steel, and aluminum production and the development of turbines for the High Dam in Aswan. The statement also said that Morsi would call on the Russian government to set up grain storage silos in Egypt. The presidency also said a group of Russian businessmen who had previously visited Egypt would follow up with members of Morsi's delegation upon its arrival. Morsi's delegation includes Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Kamel Amr, and the ministers of electricity and energy, industry and foreign trade, investment, petroleum, and agriculture. Morsi is set to discuss a number of economic and regional issues with his Russian counterpart, including the ongoing crisis in Syria and efforts to disarm the Middle East of nuclear weapons. In an interview with Russian Itar-Tass News Agency, Morsi stated that the two countries would join to develop the Suez Canal and Russia was willing to use advanced technology and invest in a number of Egyptian industries including energy and fishing. Foreign Minister Amr stated that Morsi's recent trips to China and Russia did not indicate a growing divide between Cairo and Washington, but represented a renewed openness on Egypt's part towards many countries. He added that a meeting between the US and Egyptian presidents had not yet been arranged simply due to conflicting timing on both ends.
