AKIPRESS.COM - A delegation of French MPs, headed by former French Minister of Transport Thierry Mariani, is expected to become the first large group of high ranking Western politicians to visit Crimea since it reunited with Russia, reports RIA-Novosti.

Crimea is an intrinsic part of Russia with regard to history, culture and demography, Mariani told Sputnik, adding that some French MPs and a large part of French nationals agree with this.

A delegation of French MPs, headed by former French Minister of Transport, is on its way to the Black Sea peninsula to "see what is really happening in Crimea with their own eyes," the politician explained. He pointed out that they lack truthful information on the region and the coverage of the events in Crimea is limited and one-sided.

The French delegation is expected to become the first large group of high ranking Western politicians to visit the Crimean Peninsula after it reunited with Russia in March 2014 following a referendum. Over 96 percent of Crimean residents voted in favor of the move.

"We are visiting Crimea to make a political stance. There is the official viewpoint of the French government but some of our MPs disagree with it. … You can cite any text but history, tradition and culture are more potent than any writings. Regardless of anything everyone understood that Crimea is Russian and that sooner or later the international community would accept this fact," Mariani noted.

The French government, according to the politician, made it clear that the visit goes against the official stance. "We are fully aware of this," he said. "Our views reflect those of some members of parliament and a large part of the public," he added.

The French MPs are expected to meet with local authorities and Crimean residents. However, this will not be the first visit for Mariani, who traveled to Crimea in 2002 to take part in restoring a French military cemetery in Sevastopol.

The visit is also aimed at strengthening ties between French and Russian businesses hurt by the restrictive measures imposed on Moscow by the West over its alleged meddling in the Ukrainian affairs. Russia has always denied these groundless claims.