Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Booms, Busts, and Recoveries -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sciAticA errAticA who wrote (32587)	4/28/2003 9:59:54 AM
From: sciAticA errAticA	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

(Moscow) Pledge to Boost Ties With Paris By Deborah Seward The Associated Press Monday, Apr. 28, 2003. Page 3 France and Russia have agreed to intensify military cooperation and joint weapons production to counter regional and global threats, the defense ministers of the two countries said. "The meetings took place in a climate of great cordiality, great confidence and a very practical spirit with a look toward the future," French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said Friday following talks with Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov. Russia and France, both of which firmly opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, have intensified political and diplomatic cooperation in recent months. They now look set to deepen military ties as well. Upon greeting Alliot-Marie before their talks Friday, Ivanov said French-Russian relations constituted one "of the most important elements" of overall stability in Europe. He said the two countries had substantially activated their relations recently. Both ministers said their countries want to develop weaponry that could be sold to third countries and to hold joint training exercises to improve the ability of their armed forces to work together. Alliot-Marie stressed that France and Russia historically had strong military ties that could help the two countries develop better relations in the 21st century. "These relations are old and very strong," she said. She described current ties as "excellent," adding that they should be reinforced. Several of Alliot-Marie's senior aides have family ties to Russia. "Russian-French contacts are intensifying and are developing successfully," Ivanov said. The two ministers discussed the situation concerning multilateral peacekeeping forces in the Balkans and in Afghanistan. Alliot-Marie said the U.S.-led war in Iraq had not led to tensions among members of the international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Both ministers said they expected closer ties in defense manufacturing. France and Russia are currently working to develop a new generation MiG fighter plane. Ivanov indicated that other projects were in the works but declined to provide details. Ivanov also said they discussed Russian proposals for a European-wide anti-missile defense that have been floating about since the United States gave notice it was withdrawing from the 1972 ABM Treaty. themoscowtimes.com