Egypt’s parliament speaker says 75% of Russia’s security recommendations implemented

Speaker of Egypt’s parliament, Ali Abdel Aal, said at a meeting with Russian lawmakers that his country has implemented 75% of its liabilities concerning security guarantees to Russian tourists, a Russian lawmaker said on Tuesday. "The speaker said they have implemented 75% of liabilities under our recommendations [on guaranteeing security for Russian tourists]," Sergei Gavrilov, the chairman of the property committee of the Russia State Duma lower parliament house, said after the meeting. "As soon as elements of security are ensured, regular air service, I think, will be resumed within six months," the lawmaker said. Chairman of the Egyptian parliament’s energy committee Talaat Al-Suwaidi also told journalists Cairo is interested in resuming air service with Russia as soon as possible. "Of course, we discussed the subject of resuming air service between Egypt and Russia. This issue is very important for us. We want flights to be resumed as soon as possible so that Russian tourists come to Egypt," he said. "Practically all who spoke on behalf of the Egyptian delegation stressed the importance of resumption of air service and tourist flows from Russia," Alexei Pushkov, the chairman of the Russian State Duma international committee, said commenting on the meeting. "The Egyptian side, naturally, is interested in resuming air service the soonest possible but the final decision is up to the Russian executive authorities - flights will be resumed as soon as they agree that security measures are sufficient." Russia suspended air service with Egypt following the crash of a Russian A321 passenger jet in Sinai. The jet owned by Russia’s Kogalymavia air carrier (flight 9268) bound to St. Petersburg crashed on October 31 some 30 minutes after the takeoff from Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh. It fell down 100 kilometers south of the administrative center of North Sinai Governorate, the city of Al-Arish. The plane was carrying 217 passengers and seven crew members. There were four Ukrainian and one Belarusian nationals among the passengers. None survived. In November, it was announced that the crash had been caused by an act of terror committed by means of a home-made explosive devise with a yield of up to one kilogram of TNT.