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Russians say France will hand over warship

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Russians say France will hand over warship
Russia says it will take delivery of a controversial French-made warship. Photo: AFP

Russia says it's due to receive its French-made Mistral warship by November 14th, according to AFP, potentially ending months of speculation over whether France would fold to international pressure to not conclude the deal.

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Russia on Wednesday said that France is still due to complete the controversial handover of a warship next month, despite pressure for the deal to be scrapped over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that the country's state-run arms dealer had received an invitation to attend a ceremony on November 14th for the handing-over of the first of two Mistral helicopter carriers, Russian news agencies reported.

"From the point of view of the technical fulfillment of the contract, everything is going to plan," Rogozin said.

"As concerns the political decision, we think that France has to defend its reputation as a reliable partner," he added.

This tweet purports to show the invitation the Russians received for the handover ceremony.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday that the decision on whether or not to deliver the state-of-the-art warship to Moscow would be made in November.

Paris last month said it was postponing the decision to deliver the first of two Mistral-class advanced helicopter assault ships to Russia until November after fierce criticism from its allies given the crisis in Ukraine.

President Francois Hollande's office announced on September 4th that conditions for France to deliver the warship were "not to date in place", pointing to Russian involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Hollande reiterated earlier this month that a ceasefire reached between Kiev, Moscow and pro-Russia separatists in east Ukraine would have to be "completely respected" for Paris to deliver the ship, which has already undergone sea tests.

Paris agreed in 2011 to build and sell the two assault ships to Russia, with the first originally scheduled for delivery in October or November and the second in 2015.

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