MOSCOW. Sept 4 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia has not received any documents from France regarding a possible repeal of the contract for the delivery of Mistral-class helicopter carriers to the Russian Navy, the Russian government's Military Industrial Commission Deputy Chairman Oleg Bochkarev told Interfax-AVN on Thursday.
"The Russian side has not received any official documents regarding the possible non-delivery of Mistral-class helicopter carriers from France. Works related to this contract continue. Our people are working there and crews are being trained. Russia fully honors its commitments under this contract," Bochkarev said.
Following a statement of French President Francois Hollande that halted the delivery of the first Mistral-class helicopter carrier to Russia, there was a supplementary reaction of the French authorities which indicated that a decision to repeal the contract might not be final, he said.
"We should be working calmly and waiting for a possible change in the situation. So far, the work on this project proceeds as planned. We should do credit to Russian and French shipbuilders whose quality of work is very high. It is difficult for me to comment on political statements but I am confident that friendship between the people of Russia and France will prevail," Bochkarev said.
In his words, a repeal of the Mistral contract will be absolutely not critical for the Russian system of weaponry.