MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia and France will refine joint actions in struggle against terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction during exercises, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Friday.
"Alongside with the development of bilateral interaction in military and technical sphere, we are going to take certain steps against terrorism and WMD proliferation, including bilateral and multi-lateral exercises," Ivanov said after the meeting of the Russia-French Council on Security Cooperation in Moscow.
Speaking of Russian-French partnership in combating terrorism, he emphasized that the sides "enjoy well and long-lasting cooperation of law-enforcement services, but we also think of the future, i.e. future weapons and materiel."
The minister recalled that Russia and France have agreed to jointly coordinate the development of a combat unmanned aerial vehicle. "We'll live, we'll see against whom this weapon will be employed and whether there will be a positive result. But we have already started the work in this sphere," he added.
He also said that the approaches of Moscow and Paris in struggling terrorism and non-proliferation of WMD are quite the same.
"We have especially confidential relations with France. For the years of bilateral interaction we have had no problems or misunderstandings in terms of principal approaches to settling disputes," he said.
He emphasized that the threat of terrorism and WMD proliferation cannot be resolved with only military ways. "Still, we clearly understand our niche and the role the military play in countering these threats," he added.
He also said that the threat of terrorism is just the same pressing for Russia, France, NATO and the European Union.