Russia attaches special significance to the development of relations with France and the two countries share similar views over world affairs, President Vladimir Putin said while meeting with two top French officials in Moscow on Friday.

During talks with visiting French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier and Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie in the Kremlin, Putin said that France is not just "a priority partner," but also one with which "we are building very trusting relations and intend to develop specific ties in both the economic and security spheres," Interfax news agency reported.

The Russian leader confirmed that Moscow and Paris "coincide in large part" on the development of the world situation.

Putin stressed that he is especially upbeat about the prospects for Russian-French arms trade, citing the joint project of developing a heavy helicopter based on Russia's Mi-26.

He also expressed interest in building an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and Alliot-Marie assured Putin that the program would be discussed.

The French defense minister said joint defense-oriented work "is moving ahead in military cooperation and on armament issues," and such cooperation also needs to develop successfully on fleets, aviation and ground forces.

The high level of industry in Russia and France makes it possible to further cooperate in weapons design, Alliot-Marie pointed out.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said after meeting with Alliot-Marie earlier in the day at the Russian-French Security Cooperation Council here that the two countries will conduct joint training exercises to work out ways to combat terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

During the meeting, also attended by Barnier and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the high-level officials discussed the Iran nuclear issue, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, in Iraq and the Middle East, as well as in Kosovo and Afghanistan, and the ways to broaden Russian-NATO cooperation in fighting terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Source: Xinhua