Egypt to Ask Russia to Lift Ban on Potatoes & Citrus

An Egyptian commercial delegation is to visit Russia within few coming days to discuss reasons behind Russia denying access to Egyptian potatoes and citrus into its markets, said Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Hatem Saleh following his meeting with the Russian ambassador in Cairo, who added that Russia is a key player on the world economic map. The minister also called on the Russian side to give Egypt a favored state treatment in the field of exports and to swiftly set up a free trade zone between the two countries. He called on businessmen in both countries to hold joint meetings in the near future to devise a layout for setting up joint ventures and pumping Russian investments into Egypt. For his part, Russian ambassador in Cairo Sergey Kir Pinchencho said that the Russian minister of agriculture will visit Egypt soon to study ways for allowing more Egyptian harvests into the Russian market.