31/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - Moscow says France is willing to pay for non-delivery of the Mistral vessels. It would appear that agreement has been reached between Paris and Moscow on financial compensation after France withdrew from the contract to supply two Mistral class helicopter carriers. Indicating the information had come from sources in the Kremlin, several members of the Russian media reported that, following eight months of negotiations, a compensation deal worth €1.6 billion had been agreed. The €1.2 billion contract for the two vessels was concluded between France and Russia in 2011. Paris decided in November 2014 not to deliver the first of the vessels in light of the role played by Russia in the conflict in the east of Ukraine (see EUROPE 11204). (JK)