FRENCH ECONOMIC COUNCIL PESSIMISTIC ON 1987 GROWTH

  France's Economic and Social Council
  (CES), an advisory body comprising industrialists, trade
  unionists and representatives of other sectors of the French
  economy, said the country's annual growth may not reach two pct
  in 1987.
      French gross domestic product risks not reaching the two
  pct growth registered last year, the Council said in a report
  on first quarter 1987 economic activity without giving any
  specific forecasts. Finance Minister Edouard Balladur was
  quoted today as saying that French 1987 growth will probably be
  about two pct.
      Balladur said in an interview with the financial daily Les
  Echos that the country's economic growth will probably be about
  the same as last year due to a less favourable international
  environment.
      CES President Philippe Neeser said one of the major fears
  for the French economy this year was a resurge in inflation.
      Disinflation was an absolute priority, Neeser told
  journalists, adding that a failure to do this would be
  extremely serious as if would be very difficult to reverse for
  many years.
  

