Egypt says to hold talks with U.S. in July

CAIRO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials on July 28-29, Egypt's foreign ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty said on Tuesday. Relations between Cairo and Washington deteriorated after the army overthrew President Mohamed Mursi following mass protests against his rule in 2013. They have gradually improved with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi who was elected last year. Abdelatty described next month's talks as a strategic dialogue. A U.S. State Department official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the last U.S.-Egypt strategic dialogue took place in Dec. 2009. In late March, U.S. President Barack Obama lifted a hold on a supply of arms to Cairo, authorising deliveries of U.S. weapons valued at over $1.3 billion. On Monday, the U.S. embassy in Cairo said the U.S. had delivered two navy vessels to Egypt. (Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Dominic Evans)