MOSCOW, November 11. /TASS/. The terrorist threat in Mali remains and it may get worse as Frances reduces its presence in the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference following talks with Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop on Thursday.

"The [terrorist] threat remains. Currently it tends to get worse in the light of the French government’s decision to considerably reduce its presence [in the country]," he said.

Lavrov pointed out that against this background terrorist activity in the north of the country might grow. He pointed out that Russia would continue to provide military assistance to Mali in the struggle against terrorism.

"We will continue to extend all-round government assistance to Mali’s armed forces by providing military hardware and by training Mali’s officers at the Russian Defense Ministry’s military academies," Lavrov said.

He recalled that Russia and Mali shared a long history of military cooperation in resistance to terrorists.

"We continue these traditions in order to enable Mali’s government to effectively repel the terrorist threat," he said.