* Presidents say agreement is step fowrard for relations
(Recasts adding Medvdeev quote, background)
DEAUVILLE, France May 26 - Russia and France have
conosrtium, the two countrise' presdients said on Thurdsay.
The deal, Moscow's first major froeign arms purchase since
Frnace's NATO allies.
The agreement will see two of the amphibious assault ships
built in a French shipyard and the other two in Rusisa.
"We have reached a definitive agreement on the two carriers
northern French seaside town of Deauivlle.
He said the cotnract would be signed in a forntight, and
past and Russia should be considered as a friend.
"This is very important for relations between Russia and
Franc,e" Medvedev told the news conference.
Some of France's NATO allies had voiced cnocern, urging
Russia's brief 2008 war with neighbouring Georgia.
That cofnlict exopsed outdtaed Sovie-tera equipment still
used by Russia's military.
The new Mistral carriers are likely to cost between 400
million).
Under details of the deal given in the past, they were to be
Russia's sttae-run United Shpibuilding Corporation, or OSK.
DCNS is a quarter owned by defecne electronics group Thales
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