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Vladimir Putin was the first foreign guest whom Jacques Chirac invited to this secret base as a sign of trust and gratitude for the opportunity given to him in April 2004 to visit the Titov Main Centre of Testing and Administration of Space Facilities near Moscow.

The Presidents were met by the commander of air defence of France, General Gaviard. He showed Mr Putin and Mr Chirac a gallery of photographs of French pilots, including pilots of the legendary Normandy-Neman squadron. After this, the general told the President about the tasks of the Air Operations Command Centre.

The leaders of the two countries visited the Situational Centre, which carries out constant control of French airspace. Mr Putin and Mr Chirac were shown an electronic indicator panel. In real time, it shows all the movements of objects in French airspace, and planes flying towards Paris are displayed in a different colour.

Then the Presidents were shown how control of airspace was carried out during last year’s celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the allied landing in Normandy.

On behalf of the French Air Force, Mr Putin was given a present made by air force soldiers. It was a small stylised wing fixed on a granite pedestal.

Mr Putin thanked the command and President Chirac for showing him this sign of trust, and congratulated him on the excellent organisation of the work of the Centre.

The Russian President noted the importance of preserving the memory of pilots of the Second World War – the pilots of Normandy-Neman, who as Mr Putin said fought together heroically with their Russian comrades-in-arms against the Nazis.

The Russian President also said that in 2005, Russia and France were planning to hold joint tactical training.