PARIS, June 29. /TASS/. France and Russia should increase cooperation in the fight against terrorism, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said after talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Paris on Wednesday.

"Russia and France have been decisively fighting against terrorism. But we can do more. We discussed the issue of joint efforts at our meeting today," Ayrault said.

The anti-terror efforts came to the forefront again after Tuesday’s terrorist attack at Istanbul’s airport, Ayrault said. "We discussed the terrorist attack in Turkey. Terrorists are delivering blows everywhere," the French minister said. He stressed the need for increasing international cooperation to fight against terrorism.

Three suicide bombers blew themselves up late on Tuesday at the international terminal of Istanbul’s Ataturk airport. More than 40 people were killed and another 239 people were injured, the city governor’s office said. Turkey’s authorities have declared a national mourning after the terrorist attack.

The anti-Russian sanctions

According to the French foreign minister, France is interested in the soonest lifting of the anti-Russian sanctions, Ayrault said.

"Sanctions are not a goal in itself. We want sanctions to be lifted as soon as possible," Ayrault said.

He added that this process is linked with the fulfilment of the Minsk agreements.

"Russia should play its positive role in this," the minister added.

"I had several meetings with Sergey Lavrov since the start of this year and all our contacts show striving for sincere dialogue," Ayrault said.

"Russia and France are partenrs and should work together," he said.