Latvia says could seek NATO support over Mistral threat

Latvia will ask NATO for support if Russia deploys French-built Mistral warships in the Baltic Sea because it would change the balance of forces in the region, Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said on Wednesday.

Russia and France signed last Friday a $1.7 billion (1.2 bln euro) contract on two French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ships for the Russian Navy, which includes the transfer of sensitive technologies.

"If these helicopter carriers appear in the Baltic Sea, Latvia will ask France and NATO in general for military and political support," Pabriks said. "The size of this support should be adequate to restore the balance of forces in the region."

Latvia, a former Soviet republic, joined the 28-member bloc together with other Baltic states in 2004.

Russia, France struggle over Mistral contract

A Russian-French contract on the construction of Mistral class helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy is unlikely to be signed in the near future, a Russian deputy defense minister said.

Russia and France in January signed an intergovernmental agreement to jointly build two Mistral-class helicopter carriers at the STX shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. Another two are planned to be constructed later at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg.

French ambassador persuades Lithuanians Mistral sale is economically and politically important

French ambassador to Lithuania Francois Laumonier says sale of Mistral warships to Russia reflects France's desire to improve its financial situation. 

Selling of Mistrals reflects France's political will to improve its economical situation; this deal gives France 5 mln working hours which means four work years for thousand employees, said the diplomat in the interview to Lietuvos zinios. 

According to the ambassador, Russia's involvement in resolving of international problems is also worth talking. It is time to open eyes and see that cold war has passed away, and now it's not prematurely to draw conclusions and set closer relations with Russia including those in arms area, even though not all the problems have been resolved, said the ambassador.

Russian-French talks on Mistral have reached a deadlock – Kommersant

Russian-French negotiations on procurement ofMistral class helicopter carriers have reached a deadlock, in particular, because of disagreement in price; contract cost may increase from EUR 980 mln to at least EUR 1.15 bln, reports Thursday'sKommersant. 

"Russia is ready to pay for both Mistrals not more than EUR 980 mln, but France insists on the minimal price of EUR 1.15 bln", writes the newspaper. Meanwhile, neither Rosoboronexport nor Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) nor Ministry of Trade and Industry nor United Shipbuilding Corporation agreed to give any comments. 

France-Russia sign Mistral warships deal

France on Tuesday inked a lucrative agreement to sell four Mistral warships to Moscow, with two to be built in Russia, in a move bitterly opposed by ex-Soviet statesin the Baltics.

The deal for the amphibious assault ships will be the first sale to Russia of such technology by a NATO country.

France's NATO allies -- in particular Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia -- have expressed concern about arming Russia with modern Western weaponry.

Leaked diplomatic cables showed that US Defence Secretary Robert Gates also raised Washington's concerns while on a visit to Paris last year.

The deal was announced while President Nicolas Sarkozy was visiting the STX naval shipyards in the western port of Saint-Nazaire where the vessels will be built in partnership with France's state-owned military contractor DCNS.