DELORS QUOTED FAVOURING FRANCO-GERMAN BID FOR CGCT

  European Commission President Jacques
  Delors, quoted by Le Monde newspaper, said he favoured a
  Franco-German candidate to take over &lt;Cie Generale de
  Constructions Telephoniques>, which has a 16 pct stake in the
  French public telephone switching market.
      "I wish for a European solution ... That will enable Germany
  and France to move closer together, which is currently
  necessary," he was quoted as saying.
      "Given the situtation of the EC (European Community) and of
  the importance for our future connunications audiences and of
  cooperation already undertaken on the Community level, that
  seems the best choice," Delors added.
      Five groups, including an alliance between West Germany's
  Siemens AG &lt;SIEG.F> and France's Schneider S.A. &lt;SCHN.PA>
  subsidiary Jeumont-Schneider, have applied to buy what is
  France's second largest telephone switching firm.
      Under French privatisation law, foreign companies are
  restricted to a 20 pct stake in privatised companies.
  

