France and Russia Agree to Sign Warship Deal Next Month

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his French counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, have finally reached an agreement regarding the Mistral helicopter carrier contract, to be signed next month.

“We have agreed everything with President Medvedev – the price, the timeframe, the transfer of technology, and the construction site,” Sarkozy said.

“Contract negotiations are over; it only remains to decide when this contract will be signed. The deadline is 21 June because this is when Prime Minister Putin will come to Paris,” he added.

The two countries had entered into an agreement to jointly build two Mistral Class helicopter carriers at STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and the other two at Admiralty Shipyards in St Petersburg, Russia.

The French Mistral Class amphibious assault ship is capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armoured vehicles and 450 personnel, according to RIA Novosti.