CHIRAC SEES QUICK DECISION ON CGCT

  French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac
  told U.S. congressmen France would announce a decision in two
  to three weeks on which group is to control its second largest
  communications firm, Compagnie Generale de Construction
  Telphoniques, French sources said.
      They said Chirac promised that France's decision would be
  based on financial, economic and technical criteria, and not on
  political grounds.
      U.S. and German companies are the leading contenders to
  take control of CGCT.
      The Reagan administration has warned France and Germany
  that it may retaliate if control of the company is awarded on
  political grounds.
      Jacques Delors, President of the European Community's
  Executive Commission, called last month for control to go to
  West Germany's Siemens AG in order to strengthen European
  industry.
      The other leading contender is a consortium of American
  Telephone and Telegraph Co &lt;T> with Philips NV of the
  Netherlands.
      Chirac said France would make public its reasons for
  awarding control, the sources said. He was asked about the
  company's fate on two occasions, in meetings with leaders of
  the Senate and House of Representatives.
  

