European parliament criticises France for selling Mistral ship to Russia.

STRASBOURG, September 9 (Itar-Tass) -- France's decision to sell the
Mistral helicopter carrier to Russia has drawn fierce fire from the
European Parliament.
Several political groups accused the French government of violating EU
laws that regulate arms supplies outside the organisation.
On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said "exclusive
negotiations between Russia and France over the supply of the helicopter
carrier Mistral are proceeding intensively enough and are very specific.
The negotiations include the question technology transfers. We appreciate
the constructive attitude of the French side to our interest."
Russia is buying the French helicopter carrier Mistral with French
equipment, including combat navigation devices, but will arm it with its
own weaponry, a defence industry official involved in the talks said
earlier.
"We are buying not just a ship. We are buying all the technical
documentation for it. It is planned that the third such ship will be built
by Russian shipbuilding companies. This is our key condition at the talks
on the Mistral," the official said.
"The Mistral will use our helicopters. But it is necessary to slightly
elevate the ship's deck for them. We also plan to use this helicopter
carrier in northern latitudes. This will require the ship's boards to be
reinforced. But this will not necessitate serious changes in the design or
equipping of the ship," the official said.
He denied assertions that Russia is buying only the hull of ship from
France. "I want to emphasise that the Mistral is being bought complete
with all the navigation and technological equipment installed on it,
including the combat navigation elements," he said.
France and Russia got involved in "exclusive talks" on the purchase by
Moscow of four French Mistral-type helicopter carriers earlier this year.
"France and Russia are beginning exclusive talks for four ships,"
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said during Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev's visit to Paris in March.
He said the first of them would be built in France, but did not
specify where the remaining three would be built.
"This is a frank dialogue and there may be points of disagreement in
it. But what it important is that we are conducting these talks," Sarkozy
said.
He believes that France should support the modernisation of Russia.
"Instead of working against each other, it's better to work together.
The Cold War period is over," the president said.
Bernard Kouchner, French Foreign Minister at that time, welcomed
Russia's intention to buy the French ship, when it made a business call in
St. Petersburg last year.
"Our countries are negotiating for a purchase of the Mistral
helicopter carrier. There is a proper political procedure. It is necessary
to fulfil this procedure, it is necessary to observe this procedure so we
would attain political accord. If this political accord is attained, I
hope it will be a good acquisition," Kouchner said.
Kouchner noted that Mistral is "a perfect and a very functional
warship" and expressed hope that Russia would purchase it.