TALKS ON the controversial sale of French warships to Russia and the imposition of sanctions on Iran were on the agenda as Russian president Dmitri Medvedev arrived in Paris yesterday for a three-day visit.
At their meeting at the Elysée Palace, Mr Medvedev and French president Nicolas Sarkozy were expected to discuss Russia’s planned purchase of a French-built Mistral-class warship, a 21,000-tonne vessel that can carry helicopters and tanks.
The deal, which would be Russia’s biggest arms purchase from abroad and a break with decades of military self-sufficiency, has alarmed Georgia and several eastern European states.
The head of Russia’s navy, Adm Vladimir Vysotsky, said in September that with a Mistral Russia could have reached its military goal in its 2008 war with Georgia in 40 minutes instead of 26 hours.
France has already indicated its willingness to sell one Mistral to Russia, while talks are reportedly continuing on the sale of a further three.
Paris says warships sold to Russia would be stripped of military technology and argues Russia must be drawn into a partnership.
“We cannot [on the one hand] say that we want an economic and human space between Russia and the European Union . . . and at the same time have reflexes that no longer have anything to do with reality of the situation,” French prime minister François Fillon said last November.
Mr Sarkozy has sought to improve ties with Russia and is known to enjoy a good relationship with Mr Medvedev. On his first official visit to France since becoming head of state in May 2008, the Russian president is due to hold talks on energy co-operation and will attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris.
Iran may prove the most awkward item on the agenda. Western powers have been pushing the UN Security Council to impose a new round of sanctions against the Islamic republic to rein in its contested nuclear programme, but this would require Moscow’s support.
Russia does significant trade with Iran and said last week it would not accept “crippling” sanctions against Tehran, although it has not indicated what form it might support.
Mr Medvedev signalled in an interview with Paris Matchthat he would also revisit his plan for a new binding security treaty for Europe to supplant Nato. The proposal, which he first aired in Germany in 2008, has generated little interest from European states.