PARIS, October 27. /TASS/. Europe’s weapons manufacturers are interested in closely cooperating with Russia, including in the naval defense sphere, a senior Rosoboronexport official said on Monday ahead of the opening of the Euronaval 2014 international exhibition in Paris.

Deputy Director General Sergey Ladygin, who leads the delegation from Russia's main weapons exporter Rosoboronexport, said meetings with both traditional and potential partners from Western Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East are due to be held.

Special focus will be made on “discussing further cooperation with the leading European manufacturers, including the projects in the interests of the third countries,” the official said.

“Many European arms producers are interested in closer cooperation with Russia, including in naval defense. In current situation, such cooperation is of course hampered by political agenda, however we remain open for our partners and are set for a mutually beneficial dialogue,” he said.

Russia considers its participation in the Euronaval 2014, the world leader of exhibitions specializing in naval defense, maritime safety and security, as a “good opportunity to 'synchronize watches' and elaborate further steps,” Ladygin stressed.

The participants are expected to discuss the development of production cooperation, projects on joint design of new vessels and their entry to the global market. “Certainly, we will be actively promoting a whole range of the Russian-made naval vessels and equipment,” Ladygin said.

The company expects that foreigners will be interested in the Mirazh, Sobol and Mangust class patrol boats, the Project 11356 class frigates, the Project 20382 corvettes, Murena-E assault boats as well as the Varshavyanka-class and Amur 1650 submarines.

Rosoboronexport’s stand will feature the Club missile system, artillery cannons A-190 and A-220M with a 100 and 57 mm caliber, the Palma anti-aircraft artillery missile system and Gibka anti-aircraft missile launching systems for Igla missiles.

Euronaval 2014, held since 1968, is one of the world’s largest naval defense exhibitions. This year, the event takes place from October 27-31 at the Le Bourget exhibition center.

The exhibition brings together over 350 companies from around 30 countries. More than 90 delegations from 65 countries are expected to attend the event. Russian news agency TASS is an official media partner of the exhibition.