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Russia-France Mistral dispute

Front National leader Le Pen says France should deliver Mistral to Russia

France should stop being s US lapdog and become a sovereign country free to make its own choice, Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's third-largest party Front National, says

Marine Le Pen AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

Marine Le Pen

© AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert

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Russia receives no official refusal on Mistral deliveries from France — minister

PARIS, October 24. /TASS/. Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's third-largest party Front National, demanded on Friday that France fulfilled its contract on the delivery of Mistral-class helipcopter carriers to Russia.

"France has taken obligations under the contract on the delivery of vessels to Russia. However, we now see that it has broken its obligation on the US president's orders," Le Pen said.

She added that no other country would sign any contracts with France that scraps deals at the last moments on Barack Obama's orders.

"France should stop being s US lapdog and become a sovereign country free to make its own choice," Le Pen said.

Russia and France signed a €1.2 billion deal for the delivery of two Mistral-class ships in June 2011. The first vessel, the Vladivostok, was floated out in October 201. The second ship, the Sevastopol, is supposed to be delivered in 2015. France will have to pay Russia a penalty fee if it fails to fulfil the contract.

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Middle East conflict

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