Paris: French defence officials say France has
agreed to sell Russia an advanced amphibious warship and is
considering a Russian request for three more.
Jacques de Lajugie, head of international development at
the French arms agency DGA, told a news conference today that
among the outstanding questions are where the Mistral would be
built.
No information about a timetable for the delivery of the
one ship that France has so far approved was immediately
available.
Possessing a Mistral would significantly increase the
Russian military's capability to mount offensives. The
prospect of a French ship being sold to Russia has alarmed
some ex-Soviet countries.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 08, 2010, 17:58