PARIS - Russia has decided to buy two French attack ships in a deal that Moscow deployment skills would boost - shrugging off opposition from the USA and some Russian neighbours.
It is one of the largest military deals between Moscow and a NATO country and an important part of Russia's efforts to modernize its army. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is aware of the economic and strategic withdrawals in closer relations with Russia, despite diplomatic concerns about Russia's intentions.
The Kremlin said in a statement on Friday that it has "made his choice" to buy two Mistral class ships, about 400 million € € 500 million ($ 525 million to $655 million) each cost. Mr Sarkozy has its own explanation celebrates the business.
France and Russia have in talks on sale for months, but negotiations had moved in the middle of disputes would be built on how many ships and where and how much the sensitive technology France would share.
The Mistral, less than 16 helicopters and dozens of armored vehicles could carry would allow fast hundreds of troops Russia to land on foreign soil.
The prospect of has disturbed human rights activists and Georgia which fought a brief war against Russia in 2008 when the ex-Soviet Baltic States in NATO worried about the Russian rule over its neighbors.
This month on the website WikiLeaks leaked U.S. diplomatic cables reveal stresses that provokes the warship deal between Washington and Paris.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates concerns that it would send the wrong message to American allies in Central and Eastern Europe.
Observed during the discussions in February with French Defense Minister Hervé Morin "Mr Gates that Russian democracy is gone, and the Government an oligarchy run by the security services was," according to a cable.
Mr. Morin countered that the West needed to Russia more confidence, and that "this only ship would make no difference to Russian skills." strong like the Russian marine production capacity was degraded
France was seen as the leading candidate for the contract, although Russian officials said similar ships built by Spain and the Netherlands also looked.
Russian news reports a key said controversial topic in discussions with France on the sale of the vessel has been Russia's demand that he with the proprietary State-of-the art command and control system advanced beyond the technology of the Russian Navy are equipped,.
The deal announced Friday probably means that the countries will build two ships in France and then two more in Russia.
Mr Sarkozy's statement said French company, the DCNS and STX and Russia OSK first two ships and the agreement is based "by the construction should, be extended by two additional units".
The deal 1,000 jobs over four years in France representing said.
France said it to build an application to consider additional ships in Russian shipyards in license draws. Interfax that built vessels in St. Petersburg said the spokesman for the Russian State-controlled United Shipbuilding Corp., Igor Rzyabov told.
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