Failure to Deliver Mistral Ships Is 'Absurd': French Trade Union

The French General Confederation of Labor (CGT) said France risks to miss out on new shipbuilding contracts, after failing to deliver Mistral-class ships to Russia.

MOSCOW, December 3 (Sputnik) – According to the French General Confederation of Labor (CGT), France had created an “absurd situation” by postponing deliveries of Mistral-class ships – the authorities have jeopardized the national shipbuilding industry and showed their weakness, French Le Telegramme reported.

“Champs-Elysees [the French government] had an opportunity to show the United States that France could make its own decisions. However, they demonstrated their weakness and created an absurd situation at the expense of national production and future contracts,” CGT said, as quoted by Le Telegramme.

“CGT is bitter that the French government, instead of promoting French technology, has compromised the image of its shipbuilding industry to please the United States and others? Even if Russia decides not to seek sanctions or financial compensation, France will be a nation incapable of honoring its contracts,” CGT further said.

Due to such moves, France risks to miss out on new contracts, which American, English and other shipbuilding nations will be quick to take, CGT said.

Russia and France signed a $1.6 billion deal for two Mistral-class ships in June 2011. The handover of the first ship, the Vladivostok, was scheduled for November 14, but has not taken place.

On November 25, President Francois Hollande postponed the delivery of the vessel to Russia, citing the situation in Ukraine as being behind the decision.

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