MOSCOW (BNS): Moscow is still continuing talks with Paris on the purchase of a Mistral-class warship. The French government has approved the sale but Russia has not yet made a final decision.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will visit France on March 1-3 but the deal will not be signed during the visit, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.

Russia plans to buy one Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, worth 400-500 million euros (around $540-$675 million), and subsequently use their know-how to build three or four vessels of the same class in partnership with the French naval shipbuilder DCNS.

"We would like to buy such a helicopter carrier and continue cooperation... and continue building such ships here in Russia," an official said.

According to the Defence Ministry source, the Mistral-class carrier from France will be used principally as an amphibious command ship. The ship's capability for amphibious assault operations is important but is not the principal function from the Russian perspective, he added.

A Mistral-class ship is capable of transporting and deploying 16 helicopters, four landing barges, up to 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks, and 450 personnel.