Russian Security Council Secretary: Moscow, Paris Stand Together On Creating Broad Anti-Terrorist Coalition

Russian Security Council Secretary Vladimir Rushailo stated that Russia and France "speak from a single platform, which boils down to setting up and strengthening the broadest anti-terrorist coalition." Rushailo noted that the task of the new association without blocs and boundaries is to join efforts to combat international terrorism and its financing sources. The Russian Security Council Secretary stressed that "among its European partners Russia singles out France, which has a solid base for constructive cooperation." According to Rushailo, in the course of the talks in Paris an agreement was reached that experts from the ministries of the interior, justice and finance of the two countries will prepare documents on cooperation in national security and develop joint programmes to expose and cut short financial violations. Over the two days of his visit Rushailo held meetings with leaders of power structures of France, including heads of Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry and Defence Ministry. "The meetings held strengthened our confidence in sincere friendship and mutual understanding between our countries," Rushailo emphasised. Since the meetings discuss specific issues of combating terrorism and organised crime, they are held behind closed doors. Rushailo told journalists that he had invited his French counterpart - Secretary General for National Defence of France Jean Claude Mallet to pay a working visit to Russia to continue consultations started in Paris. Vladimir Rushailo is to return to Moscow Wednesday night.