PARIS. Feb 1: France and Saudi Arabia have reached three arms agreements worth about nine billion francs (1.5 million dollars), the French Defence Ministry announced today, reports AFP.

The agreements, under discussion for the past four years, are for modernisation of warships and maintenance of missiles and radar systems and should provide about nine million hours of work for French industry and shipyards over the next six years, the ministry said.

The ministry said the three contracts had required a final go-ahead from the Saudis.