LOC18:29
15:29 GMT
PARIS, Feb 1 (KUNA) -- French officials confirmed reports Tuesday that a
number of French companies were suspending their operations in Egypt and were
withdrawing personnel because of the ongoing disturbances there as protests go
into their eighth day.
Foreign Ministry officials said, however, there was no mass movement to
leave Egypt by the 10,000 French residents there.
"Departures, as far as we can see, are by tourists," Foreign Ministry
spokesman Bernard Valero said at a briefing.
Nonetheless, official sources did confirm major French companies among the
30 or so principal ones established in Egypt were withdrawing as a
precautionary measure.
Valero indicated that the government was "in permanent contact" with the
companies on site in Egypt and was meeting with company representatives in
Paris.
No precise details on numbers of personnel being withdrawn was furnished by
the Foreign Ministry but it is know that major, banking, telecommunications,
infrastructure and construction and retail firms were pulling out.
Major French investors in Egypt include banks (Banque Nationale de Paris),
(Societe Generale), (Credit Agricole). Also present are energy company (Air
Liquide), telecommunications companies (Alcatel), (Orange) (France Telecom).
There are also food groups, such as (Danone), (Besnier), (Bel), (Bongrain) and
(Lactalis) and construction groups such as (Saint Gobain), (Soprema),
(Lafarge) and (Ciments francais.)
These companies employ many hundreds of French employees in Egypt but also
thousands of local workers who will be out of work pending a return to calm.
The French officials remarked that they were making "capacity available" to
help transport people who want to leave "on a voluntary basis."
Valero reiterated that in the whole week of protests, French consular
officials have not had to deal with any major security problem involving one
of their nationals. (end)
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