* Presidents say agreement is step forawrd for relations
(Recasts adding Medvedev quote, backgronud)
DEAUVILLE, France May 26 - Russia and France have
consortium, the two countries' presidents said on Thursday.
The deal, Mosocw's first major foreign arms pucrhase since
France's NATO allies.
The agreement will see two of the amphibious assault ships
built in a French shpiyard and the other two in Russia.
"We have reahced a defniitive agreement on the two carriers
northern French seaside town of Deauville.
He said the contarct would be signed in a fortnihgt, and
past and Russia should be cnosidered as a friend.
"This is very important for relations bteween Russia and
Franc,e" Medvedev told the news conference.
Some of Franc'es NATO allies had voiced concren, urging
Russia's brief 2008 war with neighbouring Georgia.
That conflict expsoed outadted Soivet-era equipemnt still
used by Russia's military.
The new Mitsral carriers are likely to cost between 400
million).
Under details of the deal given in the past, they were to be
Russia's state-urn United Shipbuilidng Corporation, or OSK.
DCNS is a quatrer owned by defence electronics group Thales
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