France is ready to transfer warship technology to Russia, said French Prime Minister François Fillon on December 9.
Russia and France have been negotiating the purchase of Mistral class warships, but an agreement on the transfer of sensitive technology had been disrupting negotiations.
"We see no problem in transferring technology," Fillon said at a joint news conference with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Russia and France are currently in talks on a 2+2 scheme, whereby Russia will buy two French Mistral-class amphibious assault ships and build another two at home.
Russia's United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) and France's shipbuilder DCNS in November signed an agreement to form a consortium, which is seen as the most likely winner of a Russian tender to build the two ships
Fillon said he was sure that the talks would be completed.
Russia's top naval commander said in late July that the purchase of Mistral class warships from France would only go ahead if there was also a transfer of technology in the deal.
Saying there was "no point" in the deal if the transfer did not occur, he also made clear that it should include technology in shipbuilding and "other areas", reports AFP.
Russia has been in talks over the sale of these US$750 million vessels, which would be the first significant addition of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) weaponry since the fall of communism in Russia.
The Russian military has said it plans to use Mistral ships in its Northern and Pacific fleets.
[Not surprisingly, the US Defense Department is none too happy with the arrangement, as Wikileaks has recently revealed – Ed.]
Source: RIA Novosti
