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France denies Russia warship delivery reports | France denies Russia warship delivery reports |
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France has denied reports that it is ready to go ahead with the controversial delivery of a helicopter carrier to the Russian navy. | France has denied reports that it is ready to go ahead with the controversial delivery of a helicopter carrier to the Russian navy. |
Dmitry Rogozin, a senior Russian defence official, tweeted earlier that an invitation had been received to a November handover ceremony. | Dmitry Rogozin, a senior Russian defence official, tweeted earlier that an invitation had been received to a November handover ceremony. |
The Vladivostok warship was due to have been handed over in October. | The Vladivostok warship was due to have been handed over in October. |
France has previously said conditions were "not right" for the deal - a reference to Russia's role in Ukraine. | |
The Vladivostok is the first of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships that Russia had ordered from France in a contract worth $1.2bn euros ($1.6bn; £0.95bn). | The Vladivostok is the first of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships that Russia had ordered from France in a contract worth $1.2bn euros ($1.6bn; £0.95bn). |
When the deal was signed in 2011, the French president at the time, Nicolas Sarkozy, said it was evidence that the Cold War had ended. | When the deal was signed in 2011, the French president at the time, Nicolas Sarkozy, said it was evidence that the Cold War had ended. |
However, tensions between Russia and the West were rekindled this year with Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea and its alleged support for pro-Russian rebels in the country's east. | However, tensions between Russia and the West were rekindled this year with Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian territory of Crimea and its alleged support for pro-Russian rebels in the country's east. |
US President Barack Obama expressed concern over the deal, saying it would have been "preferable to press the pause button" over it. | |
EU leaders also warned that Russia would use the warship to threaten its neighbours. | |
However, French President Francois Hollande had until recently resisted pressure to call off the delivery. | |
He argued that cancellation would prove too costly and that the contract was not covered by sanctions imposed upon Russia earlier this year. | |
This summer, some 400 Russian sailors arrived in France to train for taking over the warship, docked in Saint-Nazaire. | |
But in September, Mr Hollande said delivery was not appropriate under current conditions, and would only go ahead if there was a "ceasefire and a political settlement" in Ukraine. | |
Although a ceasefire has been agreed between Ukraine's government and the pro-Russian rebels, it is regularly violated, with both sides blaming each other. | |
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said this week that President Hollande would make his decision on whether to hand over the ship "at the moment of delivery" in November. | |
On Wednesday, Mr Rogozin, a deputy prime minister in Russia with responsibility for the country's defence industry, tweeted an image of what he claimed was a French invitation to the handover of the Vladivostok on 14 November. | |
The French presidency reportedly said on Wednesday that a decision on delivery had yet to be made. |