ALGERIA: French President Nicolas Sarkozy lobbys to boost energy ties with top Africa trade partner and gas exporter Algeria

Record ID: 573723

  • Title: ALGERIA: French President Nicolas Sarkozy lobbys to boost energy ties with top Africa trade partner and gas exporter Algeria
  • Date: 11th July 2007
  • Summary: PLANE CARRYING FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY DRIVING ON TARMAC PLANE SITTING ON TARMAC
  • Embargoed: 26th July 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Algeria
  • Country: Algeria
  • Topics: International Relations,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVAB1ZMQ13W4YOLMZ9PPCGJPQ7ZW
  • Story Text: On his first trip outside Europe since winning the French presidency, Sarkozy brushed off questions about a possible tie-up between utility Gaz de France and Algeria's Sonatrach energy firm but added he would make a state visit to the OPEC member in November to discuss concrete proposals to boost economic ties.
    French President Nicolas Sarkozy lobbied to boost energy ties with top Africa trade partner and gas exporter Algeria on Tuesday (July 10) but said concrete steps would have to await another trip to Algiers in November.
    Sarkozy, on his first visit beyond Europe since his May election, told reporters after talks with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika he wanted leaders of his proposed Mediterranean Union to meet in 2008 to "give form" to the as yet vague body.
    "The will of France is to co-operate with Algeria in the matter of energy, in all its aspects - the energy of today, gas, but also the energy of tomorrow, civil nuclear energy, biofuels, in the matter of industry," Sarkozy said. "That French companies are ready to invest massively in Algeria's emerging economy with the means and the solvency of the Algeria of today. And I informed President Bouteflika about the project proposed by France about the Mediterranean Union."
    Sarkozy's aides say his whirlwind Maghreb tour is aimed at explaining his plan for a Mediterranean Union -- a formal partnership involving southern European countries and their North African neighbours.
    It is also aims to widen trade links in a strategic area on Europe's southern flank that has long been a French commercial preserve but is now also opening to Chinese and U.S. investors.
    Sarkozy has said French energy firms should have closer ties to the Sonatrach gas giant, but Algerian leaders have not spoken of the idea and are believed to see little value in it.
    French authorities have been considering a merger between utilities Gaz de France and Suez, but Sarkozy has said other ideas were being studied, including a tie up for Gaz de France with a gas producer such as Sonatrach.
    Sarkozy said little on that at the Algiers news conference.
    Giving few details, Sarkozy said only that he would like heads of state of prospective member states of the Mediterranean Union to meet in the first half of 2008 to discuss its creation.
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