Up To Date france

France revealed Tuesday that it had convinced former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to cancel a speech in Paris regarding the political crisis in Thailand. However, the organisers of the event insisted that it would not abandon the event.

“Thaksin Shinawatra assured us he would do what was asked”, said French Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bernard Valero to reporters. He was referring to demands made by French authorities last week about not speaking in Paris on 31 May.

Valero mentioned that the address to journalists, which was set up by an unpopular think-tank called the Centre of Political and Foreign Affairs, “was no longer planned”, and that Thaksin “told us he would not come back” to France.

However, Fabien Baussart–the leader of the group that organised the speech, told AFP: “This event is still scheduled and it will take place whether the foreign ministry wants it to or not”.

“It is an invitation to a private place which the foreign ministry is not in charge of”, he continued. “The ministry is going after him and I’d really like to know why”.

France said Thursday it had advised the deposed Thai prime minister to refrain from making public speeches during his private travel to France in consideration of the political situation in Thailand.

A court in Thailand issued on Tuesday a warrant of arrest for Thaksin. The former Thai minister faces terrorism charges, which is punishable by death. Thaksin allegedly bankrolled the protests and incited unrest in Thailand.

Valero mentioned that France wasn’t bound by the warrant as of the present. After the statements on Thursday, the organisers behind the event said Thaksin temporarily went to London.

France’s Congress was notified by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on 2 April that France may purchase 260 JAVELIN Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, 76 Command Launch Units that are equipped with Integrated Day/Thermal Sights and other parts, equipment, and logistic support worth $69 million from the United States.

The French government also requested the possible acquisition of containers, Enhanced Basic Skills Trainer, missile simulation rounds, JAVELIN Weapon Effects Simulator Trainers, battery coolant units, battery chargers and dischargers, batteries, spare and repair parts, personnel training and equipment, test and tool sets, publications, and some other logistic support at the cost of approximately $69 million.

France is one of NATO and Europe’s major economic and political powers, and it is also a US ally in assuring stability and unity. It is important to the national interest of the US to support France to establish and maintain a ready and powerful capability on defence.

The proposed equipment purchase will improve the capability of France to become responsive to future threats from enemy tanks as well as ground forces. The country will use the increased ability to prevent regional threats, to make homeland defence stronger and to take part in NATO operations and overseas events.

The Tucson, Arizona-based Javelin Joint Venture and Lockheed Martin of Orlando, Florida will be the main contractors.

The implementation of the proposed purchase will not demand the assignment of the US government or any contractor representing France. Furthermore, it will not have any adverse impact on the defence readiness of the US.

The French government has vowed to take action to curb the amount of toxic algae on Brittany’s beaches.

The north western French coastal region, popular with tourists from Britain and the continent has suffered in recent years after an increase in sea lettuce washing up on shore and releasing dangerous noxious fumes.

The algae, which is harmless while at sea becomes a risk to the health of both animals and humans after being washed ashore and left to decompose for a number of days.

The rotting sea lettuce gives off hydrogen sulphide filled fumes, which increase the chances of developing a condition called methaemoglobinaemia which causes symptoms such as dizziness, nausea loss of consciousness and in extreme cases could be fatal.

And the danger from the plant is amplified when the seaweed comes into contact with fresh water sources. For example if washed into rivers or streams during storms.

The government now says it will work to form better clean up plans to prevent the build up of the algae, which has been blamed for the death of at least one horse last year.

And officials are also planning to look at a long tem plan to tackle the sea lettuce problem which will look at farming practices of areas feeding into waters that outlet along the Brittany shore and monitoring the flow of nitrates, which are believed to be an exacerbating factor in the ongoing problem.

The government has budgeted to spend €134 million on tackling the problem over the next four years.

Following their intervention in the Renault Clio production row, the French government has once again stepped in to try and secure the jobs of French workers threatened by closures.

This time round Paris officials are demanding assurances from oil giant Total over the proposed closure of the Flandres oil refinery in northern France.

The French Industry Minister, Christian Estrosi, told reporters yesterday (Monday) that the government would impose stringent conditions on the closure of the site, near Dunkirk, which currently employs more than 600 full and part time staff,

The site, which produces 137,000 barrels a day, is earmarked by total for redevelopment as a centre for technical support and refining training.

But Mr Estrosi said that no closure would be allowed to take place until the future of the Flandres workers had been assured.

He told reporters: “There will be no refinery closure until there are guarantees regarding a new operation which will ensure that jobs are preserved.

“I say very clearly, the government will be firm. We will not accept a unilateral decision unless there is a full commitment to preserving jobs at the refinery.”

However business commentators have questioned the minister’s powers to intervene in the business decision of a non-public company in which, unlike Renault, the French government holds no large stake.

Total has pledged to continue as an “economic partner” of the Dunkirk area.

The French government may intervene in the work culture at large French companies after the spate of suicides at France Telecom revealed the damaging effects of the country’s competition culture.

Labour minister Xavier Darcos has already ordered meeting between union bosses and the heads of more than 2,500 french companies in an attempt to prevent any further escalation of the phenomenon.

Business commentators have criticised the French working culture, which has led to as many as one in four employees of large national or formerly national companies feeling that they are “mentally vulnerable” as a result of their working environment.

The country’s highly competitive education system, has been blamed for turning out generations of bosses who are technically qualified to do their jobs, yet lack the essential people skills required to successfully manage a team.

Their lack of empathy was thrown into harsh relief when the compulsory 35 hour working week came into practice in France in 2000, leaving managers attempting to drive their teams to hit the same targets with significantly fewer man hours.

And the problem is confounded by the French system which sees many large corporations such as France Telecom and EDF still partially government owned, meaning some employees are still counted as civil servants and still benefit from contracts befitting that position.

And while technology has moved forward, some contracted workers skills have become obsolete, leaving them pushed aside and lacking in professional identity, with the cynics claiming this is a deliberate tactic to remove them from their positions.

One psychologist, Marie Peze, who has treated victims of the workplace marginalisation said: “Our technocracy, the elite of the French nation produced by the grandes ecoles, have a sovereign contempt for ordinary employees. As far as they are concerned, their workers know nothing.”

The French government looks set to perform partial a U-Turn over the controversial proposed ban on the wearing of Muslim veils in public.

Instead of a full ban on the public wearing of the Burka and Niqab in public, French politicians are now expected to ask for face covering veils to be banned on public transport and in government buildings.

The backtracking may come as a surprise to the French public, who have spent months listening to anti-burka rhetoric from politicians across the party spectrum.

President Sarkozy himself openly declared that the veils were “not welcome” in France calling it a “a sign of debasement  that imprisons women” while UMP party head Xavier Bertrand has called for women who wear the garment to be denied citizenship.

However, a parliamentary panel, which has spent the past six month examining the issue is expected to tomorrow offer a number of alternatives to the full ban initially proposed after fears were raised over the consequences of pushing forward with the controversial law.

Politicians are now believed to be concerned over the possibility of terrorist retaliations should the legislation go ahead.

It is also believed that many in the French government fear the possibility of a decline in international relations after countries across the world spoke of their disapproval of neighbouring Switzerland’s ban on the building of minarets on mosques last year.

Around 2000 women in France are believed to be affected by the proposal.

A French government official is to be invited to join the strategic committee of automobile manufacturer Renualt, it was revealed yesterday (SUNDAY)

French industry minister Christian Estrosi told reporter that a representative of the government was to take up a committee seat with France’s second biggest car company, 15 per cent of which is owned by the French government.

The news came alongside the confirmation that Renault will continue with plans to move part of the manufacturing process for the popular Renault Clio model to a plant in Bursa, Turkey, despite a massive national outcry over plans to take production out of France.

So concerned were the French government over the move, that Renault boss Carlos Ghosn was summoned to meet with president Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss the future of Renault.

After that meeting Mr Ghosn gave a statement confirming that the production of the new Clio model would be split between France and Turkey with no loss of jobs at the French Renault manufacturing headquarters in Flins.

Speaking at a reception in Nice, where he is the mayor, Mr Estrosi told the press: “”We have decided that the state as shareholder will be on the strategic committee for the future industrial policy of Renault.”

Around 150,000 Renault Clios were sold into the French market last year and Renault bosses were keen to point out that the production capability in France will be roughly enough to meet this demand – an important factor for the country’s car buying public who are usually keen to be seen to be buying French.

The French utilities giant GDF Suez is attempting a takeover of the International Power energy group, it was reported yesterday.

GDF, 35 per cent of which is retained by the French government, has reportedly received the go ahead from Paris officials to table a formal offer for the £5 billion business.

If a deal was reached it would see the €64 billion French energy giant take control  a total of 45 power plants across the globe, six of which, including a large hydroelectric plant in Wales, are located within the British Isles and currently provide power for around 4 million homes in the UK.

The move has unsettled British critics, with politicians raising concerns over the way in which UK business is being swallowed by international investors, and criticising the short sighted way in which UK hardware and workers are being increasingly used to create wealth for those outside of the country.

GDF already has a foothold in the UK power market as part of an international consortium that last year purchased a parcel of land near the Sellafield nuclear processing facility with the intention of building  nuclear plant.

However, the move to solidify their UK holdings may draw criticism in France where politicians last year slammed power giant and GDF rival EDF for investing £12.5 billion in the British Energy nucleat generator.

Spokesmen for both GDF and International Power declined to comment on the possibility of a deal yesterday (SUNDAY)