Putin vows to boost arms sales to Egypt's Sisi

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="header" style="margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px 10px;"><h1 class="headline" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-hyphens: none; font-weight: 300; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-right: 40px; padding-top: 15px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><div class="credit-text" style="display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle;"> <cite class="byline vcard top-line" style="font-style: normal;">By <span class="fn" style="font-weight: bold; margin-right: 3px;">Dmitry Zaks</span></cite></div> </span></h1> </header><div class="credit-bar clearfix " style="padding: 10px; zoom: 1;"> <div class="credit-bar-inner" style="float: left; max-width: 380px;"> <div class="credit" style="float: left;"> <span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div class="credit-text" style="display: inline-block; vertical-align: middle;"> <cite class="byline vcard top-line" style="font-style: normal;"><abbr style="display: block;">2 hours ago</abbr></cite><span class="bottom-line" style="display: block;"></span></div> </span></span></div> <div class="yom-share-btns-container light" id="mediacontentsharebuttons-light" style="border: 0px; padding: 0px 0.7692em; position: absolute; right: 0px;"> <div class="share-btns-int-container" style="display: table-cell; float: right; padding-left: 10px;"> <div class="share-btns" role="menu" style="display: table; width: 140px;"> <ul style="float: right; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> <li class="share-btn tumblr ios7" style="display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a data-share-key="tumblr" data-share-pos="top" data-share-sec="sh-lt" href="https://www.tumblr.com/share/photo?clickthru=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fegypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html%3Fsoc_src%3Dmediacontentstory&caption=Russian%20President%20Vladimir%20Putin%20on%20Tuesday%20promised%20Egyptian%20counterpart%20Abdel%20Fattah%20al-Sisi%20to%20speed%20up%20the%20delivery%20of%20billions%20of%20dollars%20in%20arms%20and%20invited%20Cairo%20to%20forge%20free%20trade%20ties%20with%20a%20Moscow-led%20customs%20bloc.%20%20The%20two%20strong-willed%20leaders%20have%20developed%20a%20warm%20working%20relationship%20since%20Putin%20gave%20his%20backing%20to%20Sisi%27s%20presidential%20run%20during%20the%20Egyptian%27s%20visit%20to%20Moscow%20in%20February.%20%20We%20are%20delivering%20weapons%20to%20Egypt.%20%20%22All%20the%20people%20of%20Egypt%20are%20closely%20watching%20my%20visit%20and%20expecting%20a%20high%20level%20of%20cooperation%20between%20our%20states%2C%22%20Russian%20state%20news%20agencies%20quoted%20Sisi%20as%20telling%20Putin.&source=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.yimg.com%2Fbt%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2FewYW4VrkzB1EvFlCmrvLVg--%2FYXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYwMA--%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen_us%2FNews%2Fafp.com%2FPart-PAR-Par7949297-1-1-0.jpg" role="link" style="display: inline-block; height: 30px; opacity: 1; overflow: hidden; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Share on Tumblr"><span class="btn-icon btn-tumblr small" style="background-image: none, url(data:image/svg+xml; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 60%, 60%; border: 1px solid rgb(60, 89, 119); display: inline-block; height: 18px; padding: 0px 4px 10px; vertical-align: top; width: 20px;"></span></a></li> <li class="share-btn facebook ios7" style="display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a data-share-key="facebook" data-share-pos="top" data-share-sec="sh-lt" href="https://www.facebook.com/dialog/feed?app_id=90376669494&redirect_uri=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2F_xhr%2Fmediacontentsharebuttons%2Fpostshare%2F%3Fsrc%3Dfb&link=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fegypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html%3Fsoc_src%3Dmediacontentstory&picture=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.yimg.com%2Fbt%2Fapi%2Fres%2F1.2%2FewYW4VrkzB1EvFlCmrvLVg--%2FYXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7cT04NTt3PTYwMA--%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen_us%2FNews%2Fafp.com%2FPart-PAR-Par7949297-1-1-0.jpg&name=Putin+vows+to+boost+arms+sales+to+Egypt%26%2339%3Bs+Sisi&description=Russian+President+Vladimir+Putin+on+Tuesday+promised+Egyptian+counterpart+Abdel+Fattah+al-Sisi+to+speed+up+the+delivery+of+billions+of+dollars+in+arms+and+invited+Cairo+to+forge+free+trade+ties+with+a+Moscow-led+customs+bloc.++The+two+strong-willed+leaders+have+developed+a+warm+working+relationship+since+Putin+gave+his+backing+to+Sisi%27s+presidential+run+during+the+Egyptian%27s+visit+to+Moscow+in+February.++We+are+delivering+weapons+to+Egypt.++%22All+the+people+of+Egypt+are+closely+watching+my+visit+and+expecting+a+high+level+of+cooperation+between+our+states%2C%22+Russian+state+news+agencies+quoted+Sisi+as+telling+Putin.&display=popup&show_error=yes" role="link" style="display: inline-block; height: 30px; opacity: 1; overflow: hidden; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook"><span class="btn-icon btn-facebook small" style="background-image: none, url(data:image/svg+xml; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 60%, 60%; border: 1px solid rgb(66, 97, 150); display: inline-block; height: 18px; padding: 0px 4px 10px; vertical-align: top; width: 20px;"></span></a></li> <li class="share-btn twitter ios7" style="display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a data-share-key="twitter" data-share-pos="top" data-share-sec="sh-lt" href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Putin+vows+to+boost+arms+sales+to+Egypt%27s+Sisi&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fegypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html%3Fsoc_src%3Dmediacontentstory&via=YahooNews" role="link" style="display: inline-block; height: 30px; opacity: 1; overflow: hidden; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Share on Twitter"><span class="btn-icon btn-twitter small" style="background-image: none, url(data:image/svg+xml; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 60%, 60%; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 172, 235); display: inline-block; height: 18px; padding: 0px 4px 10px; vertical-align: top; width: 20px;"></span></a></li> <li class="share-btn mail ios7" style="display: inline-block; list-style: none; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px;"><a class="rapid-noclick-resp" data-share-key="mail" data-share-pos="top" data-share-sec="sh-lt" href="http://news.yahoo.com/_xhr/mtf_popup/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fegypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html%3Fsoc_src%3Dmediacontentstory&site=news&region=US&lang=en-US&content_id=ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610&alias_id=story%3Degypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527" role="link" style="display: inline-block; height: 30px; opacity: 1; overflow: hidden; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Email to friends"><span class="btn-icon btn-mail small" style="background-image: none, url(data:image/svg+xml; background-position: 50% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 60%, 60%; border: 1px solid rgb(64, 0, 144); display: inline-block; height: 18px; padding: 0px 4px 10px; vertical-align: top; width: 20px;"></span></a></li> </span></ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="clearfix" style="zoom: 1;"> </div> </div> <div class="cover-wrap " style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 30px; text-align: center; width: 718px;"> <div class=""> <div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"> <figure class=" cover get-lbdata-from-dom go-to-slideshow-lightbox " data-id="ebf9076b-f3d3-385a-8c07-8335966f58ea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div> <a data-rapid_p="6" data-ylk="rspns:xpnd;t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:ld;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:img;elmt:ct;itc:1;grpt:;edtr_vos:;g:;aid:ebf9076b-f3d3-385a-8c07-8335966f58ea;ct:4;cpos:1;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html#" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); outline: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) during their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei residence in Sochi on August 12, 2014 during the Egyptian leader&#39;s first official visit to Russia" class="inview" height="379px" src="http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Wd4UAExJ5fnAEcjenJ8OEA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTM3OTtweG9mZj01MDtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz02NzQ-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949297-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translate3d(0px, 0px, 0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; min-height: 1px; opacity: 1 !important; text-align: left; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important; width: 718px;" width="674px" /></span></a></div> <span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-small" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 7px; border-bottom-right-radius: 7px; border-top-left-radius: 7px; border-top-right-radius: 7px; cursor: pointer; height: 45px; left: 50%; margin-left: -32px; margin-top: -23px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; top: 50%; width: 64px; z-index: 1;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">.</span></span></figure><ul class="thumbstrip-overlay clearfix " style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.16s linear; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; bottom: 0px; left: 0px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 10px; position: absolute; transition: background-color 0.16s linear; zoom: 1;"> <li class="go-to-slideshow-lightbox get-lbdata-from-dom image" data-uuid="2044e280-6fb0-323a-b993-0739cdd548cd" style="border: 1px solid rgb(58, 58, 58); cursor: pointer; float: left; list-style: none; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 100px;"><div class="img-wrap-16x9" style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56px; position: relative;"> <a data-rapid_p="7" data-ylk="rspns:xpnd;t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:ld;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:tl;elmt:ct;itc:1;g:ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610;aid:2044e280-6fb0-323a-b993-0739cdd548cd;ct:4;cpos:1;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html#" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img class="inview" data-src-2x="" height="83.25" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/uNO5gX1MRsicgLA_vYqfOQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTgzLjI1O3B5b2ZmPTE1O3E9NzU7dz0xNDg-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949279-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translateZ(0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; min-height: 1px; opacity: 1 !important; text-align: left; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important; width: 100px;" width="148" /></span></a></div> <span class="icon-white-slideshow-tiny icon-slideshow" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; bottom: 3px; cursor: pointer; height: 14px; left: 3px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; width: 20px; z-index: 1;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">.</span></span></li> <li class="go-to-slideshow-lightbox get-lbdata-from-dom image" data-uuid="0edf6299-2509-3457-807f-0487fba30b93" style="border: 1px solid rgb(58, 58, 58); cursor: pointer; float: left; list-style: none; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 100px;"><div class="img-wrap-16x9" style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56px; position: relative;"> <a data-rapid_p="8" data-ylk="rspns:xpnd;t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:ld;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:tl;elmt:ct;itc:1;g:ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610;aid:0edf6299-2509-3457-807f-0487fba30b93;ct:4;cpos:1;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html#" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img class="inview" data-src-2x="" height="83.25" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Q1V1KnuquKwgIT6AQ6Ieog--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTgzLjI1O3B5b2ZmPTE1O3E9NzU7dz0xNDg-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949293-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translateZ(0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; min-height: 1px; opacity: 1 !important; text-align: left; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important; width: 100px;" width="148" /></span></a></div> <span class="icon-white-slideshow-tiny icon-slideshow" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; bottom: 3px; cursor: pointer; height: 14px; left: 3px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; width: 20px; z-index: 1;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">.</span></span></li> <li class="go-to-slideshow-lightbox get-lbdata-from-dom image" data-uuid="6856af29-e224-324b-8a02-422c4a434bf8" style="border: 1px solid rgb(58, 58, 58); cursor: pointer; float: left; list-style: none; margin-right: 10px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 100px;"><div class="img-wrap-16x9" style="height: 0px; padding-bottom: 56px; position: relative;"> <a data-rapid_p="9" data-ylk="rspns:xpnd;t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:ld;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:tl;elmt:ct;itc:1;g:ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610;aid:6856af29-e224-324b-8a02-422c4a434bf8;ct:4;cpos:1;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/egypts-sisi-visits-putin-arms-purchase-talks-150438527.html#" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black;"><img class="inview" data-src-2x="" height="83.25" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/zvwquOoW2htFrSLyhPPOJQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTgzLjI1O3B5b2ZmPTE1O3E9NzU7dz0xNDg-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949267-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translateZ(0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; min-height: 1px; opacity: 1 !important; text-align: left; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important; width: 100px;" width="148" /></span></a></div> <span class="icon-white-slideshow-tiny icon-slideshow" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; bottom: 3px; cursor: pointer; height: 14px; left: 3px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; width: 20px; z-index: 1;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">.</span></span></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="body yom-art-content clearfix" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1407867931019_1496" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Article" style="margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px 10px; zoom: 1;"> <div class="yom-ad yom-ad-LREC" id="yom-ad-LREC" style="border: none; clear: both; float: right; height: 250px; margin: 0px 0px 1.1em 10px; max-height: 250px; text-align: center; visibility: inherit; width: 300px;"> <div class="darla" id="sb_rel_yom-ad-LREC-iframe" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); display: inline-block; height: 250px; position: relative; visibility: inherit; width: 300px; z-index: 9;"> <iframe allowtransparency="true" async="" frameborder="no" hidefocus="true" id="yom-ad-LREC-iframe" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://l.yimg.com/rq/darla/2-8-1/html/r-sf.html" style="display: block; height: 250px; left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; max-height: none; max-width: none; min-height: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: left; top: 0px; visibility: inherit; width: 300px; z-index: 10;" tabindex="-1"></iframe></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday promised Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to speed up the delivery of billions of dollars in arms and invited Cairo to forge free trade ties with a Moscow-led customs bloc.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The two strong-willed leaders have developed a warm working relationship since Putin gave his backing to Sisi's presidential run during the Egyptian's visit to Moscow in February.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Russian television showed the former field marshal descending the ramp of his plane and immediately being greeted with a display of heavy tanks and armoured vehicles assembled on the apron of the Sochi airport.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We are actively developing our military and technological cooperation," Putin later told Sisi at the Russian president's Black Sea resort summer residence.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We signed a corresponding protocol in March. We are delivering weapons to Egypt. We are ready to expand this cooperation."</span></div> <div class="body-related" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 7.5px; margin-left: 7.5px; position: relative;"> <a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp portrait onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-pos="1" data-rapid_p="10" data-uuid="2044e280-6fb0-323a-b993-0739cdd548cd" data-ylk="t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:embd;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:img;elmt:ct;itc:1;g:ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610;aid:2044e280-6fb0-323a-b993-0739cdd548cd;ct:4;cpos:1;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/russian-president-vladimir-putin-r-egyptian-counterpart-abdel-photo-150438725.html" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"> <span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: 0px; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span><img alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb inview" data-src-2x="" height="442" src="http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/yLXxei9iZ_HvAvBUgU5GPQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTQ0MjtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949279-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translateZ(0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div> </a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) walk on t …</span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sisi in turn thanked Putin for being the first leader to invite him for a visit outside the Arab world since his swearing-in as head of state.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"All the people of Egypt are closely watching my visit and expecting a high level of cooperation between our states," Russian state news agencies quoted Sisi as telling Putin.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"I expect us to meet their expectations."</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Russia has jumped at the chance to grab a bigger slice of the Egyptian arms market after the United States suspended some of its weapons deliveries in the wake of Sisi's crackdown on the former Islamic government last year.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cairo hosted the Russian defence and foreign ministers in November -- the first such visit since the Soviet era -- for discussions on an Egyptian arms purchase plan.</span></div> <div class="body-related" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 7.5px; margin-left: 7.5px; position: relative;"> <a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp landscape onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-pos="2" data-rapid_p="11" data-uuid="0edf6299-2509-3457-807f-0487fba30b93" data-ylk="t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:embd;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:img;elmt:ct;itc:1;g:ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610;aid:0edf6299-2509-3457-807f-0487fba30b93;ct:4;cpos:2;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/russian-president-vladimir-putin-r-egyptian-counterpart-abdel-photo-150438725.html" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"> <span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: 0px; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span><img alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb inview" data-src-2x="" height="200" src="http://l1.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/FSgdX9rWvLj0hMNELywXsQ--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTIwMDtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949293-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translateZ(0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div> </a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) stand nex …</span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow's Vedemosti business daily reported after those talks that Russia and Egypt were nearing a $3 billion (2.2 billion-euro) advanced missiles and warplanes deal that would be financed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The report said Moscow and Cairo had already either "initialled or signed" contracts for the purchase of Mig-29 fighters and Russian attack helicopters as well as coastal defence systems.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Egypt is most interested in air defence systems," said Moscow's World Arms Trade Analysis Centre chief Igor Korotchenko.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"I think that the signing of actual contracts is just a question of time," the analyst said in a telephone interview. "A political-level agreement has already been reached."</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- Free trade zone -</span></div> <div class="body-related" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 7.5px; margin-left: 7.5px; position: relative;"> <a class="body-related-link body-related-image go-to-slideshow-lightbox rapid-noclick-resp portrait onesize get-lbdata-from-dom" data-pos="3" data-rapid_p="12" data-uuid="6856af29-e224-324b-8a02-422c4a434bf8" data-ylk="t1:a3;t2:ct-mod;t3:embd;sec:ct-mod;slk:expand;elm:img;elmt:ct;itc:1;g:ab7dd89b-fe7a-3b73-9a45-23a0d3ad6610;aid:6856af29-e224-324b-8a02-422c4a434bf8;ct:4;cpos:3;" href="http://news.yahoo.com/lightbox/russian-president-vladimir-putin-r-egyptian-counterpart-abdel-photo-155745819.html" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 300px; position: relative; text-decoration: none;" title="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian&nbsp;&hellip;"><div class="img-wrap" style="position: relative;"> <span class="icon-slideshow icon-white-slideshow-xsmall" style="background-image: url(data:image/svg+xml; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: cover; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; bottom: 5px; cursor: pointer; height: 23px; left: 5px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-indent: 0px; width: 32px; z-index: 1;"></span><img alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian&nbsp;&hellip;" class="body-related-thumb inview" data-src-2x="" height="328" src="http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/yBExyd0He5IeAXvnxDFXTA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTMyODtxPTc1O3c9MzAw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par7949267-1-1-0.jpg" style="-webkit-transform: translateZ(0px); -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; display: block; opacity: 1 !important; transition: opacity 0.3333s ease 0ms; vertical-align: baseline; visibility: visible !important;" width="300" /></div> </a><div class="body-related-title photo-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px 5px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 300px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (L) walk on t …</span></div> </div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Putin noted that Egypt could purchase a fifth of Russia's total wheat exports and was eager to help fill the void left by Moscow's sanctions on US and European produce and meat.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Russian leader also invited Cairo to establish a free trade zone between Egypt and a customs union Russia has forged with ex-Soviet Belarus and Kazakhstan.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">State media did not report Sisi's response to the invitation -- if any. But it said he in turn told Putin that Russia was welcome to play a greater role in Egypt's recently unveiled "new Suez Canal" project.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Closer agricultural and military trade ties between Cairo and Moscow -- strategic partners during parts of the Cold War -- are unlikely to play well in Washington amid the effective freeze in East-West relations brought on by the Ukraine crisis.</span></div> <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1407867931019_1495" style="margin-bottom: 1.1em;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Putin has responded to his diplomatic isolation from the United States and its EU allies by striking a massive gas deal with China and inviting Latin American countries to sell their agricultural goods to Russia on preferential terms.</span></div> </div> </div>

Putin vows to boost arms sales to Egypt's Sisi

  By  Dmitry Zaks 2 hours ago . . . . Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on...

Read more »