Russian warship docks in Egypt for first time in over 20 years

Russian guided missile cruiser Varyag arrived on Monday at the Egyptian port of Alexandria for the first visit of its kind in over 20 years, media reports said here.

"This visit can hardly be overestimated," Russian Consul- general Sergei Petlyakov reportedly said at a welcoming ceremony in Alexandria, which featured a military orchestra and the traditional 21-gun salute.

"I hope that the good traditions of cooperation that existed between our countries in the past will continue," Petlyakov was quoted as saying by the Itar-Tass news agency.

The unofficial visit came ahead of meetings between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and their Egyptian counterparts in the restive Middle East country.

"This visit will undoubtedly give a new impetus to our relations and cooperation between the navies of the two countries, " Captain 1st Rank Igor Smolyak, commander of a group of the Russian Pacific Fleet's surface ships, told reporters.

Varyag, the Pacific Fleet's flagship, will stay in Alexandria until Nov. 16. During the stay, the Russian sailors will visit Egyptian warships and play a football game with their Egyptian counterparts.