Russia will not quit international space cooperation programs - Putin

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. Russia has no intention of curtailing international cooperation in space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. "We are not going to upset anything or to quit these programs. We are determined to complete them. We have partners in the exploration of Mars and the Moon - the United States, Canada, Japan, and the European Union," Putin said during a visit to the Kosmos (Space) pavilion at the VDNKh exhibition center. He declared that Russia had the technologies, the wish and the financial capabilities, which were growing. "We will be implementing these plans. They are of great interest and crucial to the country and the whole of humanity," Putin said. The Russian leader was hopeful that politics would not affect the implementation of the Mars exploration programs. "We expect to participate in the Mars exploration programs - there are two of them - we have signed agreements with our partners," Putin said. "Thank God, this area has nothing to do with politics so I hope there will be progress," he added. The Russian president stressed that exploring Mars was in the interest of the entire mankind. Cosmonauts noted that they carried out space missions alongside foreign partners, facing common risks. "This is a field of activity that unites people," Putin agreed, expressing hope that it would go on like that. Read more