Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Monday on the second day of a visit to boost ties with his country's main trade partner in the regionThe two discussed "international and regional issues of joint interest, the Middle East developments, efforts to revive the stalled Middle East peace process and bilateral ties," according to Egypt's official MENA News Agency.
On Sunday, Lavrov met Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit for the fifth round of the Egyptian-Russian strategic dialogue, and signed a cooperation plan for 2010, MENA said.
Russia has a total of 230 projects in Egypt with total investments estimated at one billion dollars, foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said after Sunday's talks.
Lavrov said Moscow hoped that the total volume of trade between the two countries would reach four billion dollars. Egypt is Russia's largest commercial partner in Africa.
In June, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made a trip to Egypt as part of efforts to boost Russia's clout in the region, which was a stronghold of Soviet influence before the end of the Cold War and the subsequent surge of US dominance.
