MOSCOW, July 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia expressed regret on Tuesday over France's decision to close its trade mission in Moscow, and called for development of bilateral economic relations.
"The French side's decision to close their trade mission is a sovereign right of France. We have only to regret that Paris failed to listen to our compelling recommendations," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The French embassy in Russia announced the decision to close its trade mission in Moscow on July 16. It said that in the last few months the conditions for the work of Business France in Russia have significantly worsened, following an "illegal arrest" of its bank accounts and the expulsion of its director.
Pierric Bonnard, the director of Business France in Russia, was expelled jointly with other French diplomats in March in retaliation to the expulsion of Russian diplomats from France after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russia has told the French side many times that the trade mission's status should be settled in line with Russian legislation.
The ministry added that the partners were offered options regarding their representations in Moscow, either by registering a legal entity or by concluding a separate inter-governmental agreement with the Russian Federation.
"On our part, we continue to call for development of bilateral trade and economic ties, but under the condition of abiding by Russian laws," the ministry said.
