Informed sources disclosed Monday that a five-member British parliamentary delegation started a visit to Egypt between 25 and 30 July to discuss a number of security and economic issues.
The delegation, led by Gerald Howarth -- a member of the UK House of Commons and head of the friends of Egypt in British parliament -- is expected to meet with a number of parliamentary and government officials during his five-day visit.
A statement from the Egyptian parliament indicated Monday that the British parliamentary delegation will meet parliament speaker Ali Abdel-Al and members of parliament's foreign relations committee led by former Egyptian foreign minister Mohamed El-Orabi.
The statement also indicated the delegation is expected to visit the Red Sea tourist city Sharm El-Sheikh to review tourist and security relations between the UK and Egypt.
The visit will also see the foundation of the Egyptian-British parliamentary friendship group. "This will help a lot boost relations between Egypt and British and after Teresa May was appointed as the new prime minister of Britain," said the statement.
Rania Youssef, deputy head of parliament's foreign relations committee, told reporters that the British parliamentary delegation is expected to visit Sharm El-Sheikh next Friday.
"The delegation also wants to meet with a number of Egyptian officials such as minister of defence Sedki Sobhi, minister of tourism Yehia Rashed, minister of civil aviation Sherif Fathi, minister of interior Magdi Abdel-Ghaffar, minister of justice Hossam Abdel-Reheim, and minister of international cooperation Sahar Nasr," said Youssef.
England suspended air travel to the Red Sea resort of Sharm Al-Sheikh last November after a Russian plane crashed above the Sinai peninsula at the end of October, with all of its 224 passengers killed. England and Russia demanded tighter security measures in Egyptian airports before air flights and tourist traffic can be allowed again.
