Chirac arrives for talks with Putin

[Judi Lynn]

Chirac arrives for talks with Putin

By MARA D. BELLABY
The Associated Press
4/3/2004, 10:33 a.m. ET


MOSCOW (AP) — French President Jacques Chirac became the first western leader to visit Russia's top secret Titov space control center, touring the site Saturday as part of Russian efforts to court the lucrative European satellite-launching business.

The center, which operates under tight security, is the control point for all of Russia's satellites, including its military satellites. After greeting Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin handed over the floor to the center's chief, Lt. Gen. Nikolai Kolesnikov to outline its work and future plans.

Russia's cash-strapped space program has worked closely with the European Space Agency in recent years, launching ESA satellites and carrying ESA astronauts on research missions to the International Space Station. The Titov space control center is in Krasnoznamensk, about 25 miles southwest of Moscow.

In February, the ESA reached an agreement with Russia to launch Russian Soyuz rockets from France's Kourou launch pad in French Guyana. The launches are expected to begin in about three years.
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