Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had to answer most of the questions at a news conference on the results of his talks with his French counterpart Francois Fillon.
Most of all, French journalists were interested in whether he has contradictions with President Dmitry Medvedev and if he thinks that the latter's speech at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum was evidence of such differences.
"As for Russia's development programme through the year 2020, it's a programme on which President Medvedev and I agree," Putin said. "Mr Medvedev was absolutely right in bringing this fact to the attention of the public and the business community in Russia and abroad."
He added that he agrees with Medvedev on the need to counter state capitalism.
"I've repeatedly pointed out that state capitalism is not what we seek," Putin stressed. "We've been facing this allegation ever since we set up several state-run corporations. But, as I said more than once before, the idea behind that move was not to augment property in state ownership, but to consolidate separate assets through their integration and increased market value."
A correspondent who did not wish to introduce himself to Putin asked the prime minister to speak about the presidential campaign in Russia.
Having called the journalist a "pushy man," Putin emphasised that, regardless of the results of the parliamentary and presidential elections, Russian-French relations will be on the upsurge. No matter who is president or what the State Duma lineup is, there is a consensus on this issue, he said.
Putin supported France's candidate for IMF director, Ms Lagarde.
"No doubt, she could make a modern and competent IMF leader," he said.
There is one obvious disputable issue in relations between Moscow and Paris. The drafting of the France-initiated resolution on Syria in the UN Security Council is in full swing, whereas Russia considers it inadmissible. Putin explained that it is pointless to use political instruments invented some forty years ago and it is necessary to insist on democratic measures while maintaining a dialogue with the public of any country.
"Foreign intervention isn't much of a help in conflict resolution, you know...
Look what's happening in Iraq," Putin said. "No reconciliation has been achieved there yet. True, they had a callous regime. But there were no extremists, no militants operating in the country in those days. And now Iraq is flooded by extremists. So, obviously, the situation hasn't changed for the better."
He also emphasised that Russia does not have special relations with Syria, whereas France most likely does.
"As for Russia, it has no special interests to protect in Syria – no military bases, no ambitious projects, no multibillion investments," he said. "Our sole concern is developing mechanisms that would lead to reconciliation rather than exacerbation."
Therefore, Russia is not against the discussion of this issue in the UN, but rather objects to blatant interference in Syrian affairs.
Oleg Shevtsov