PARIS--The Caisse des Depots et Consignation, a government-owned
bank that manages state holdings in private companies, has offered
help to Bouygues SA (EN.FR) if it reopens negotiations with Vivendi
SA (VIV.FR) to buy its mobile phone unit SFR, the bank's Chairman
Jean-Pierre Jouyet told Les Echos.
"The Caisse des Depots, which is a Vivendi shareholder, could...
back with funds a merger between Vivendi, SFR and Bouygues," Mr.
Jouyet told the newspaper in an interview.
Vivendi said Friday it had entered exclusive talks with Altice
SA (ATC.AE) for three weeks, and that its board would then review
options.
France's Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg has publicly backed
a merger with Bouygues Telecom, an option that would cut the number
of mobile phone operators on the French market to three from four,
and end a price war that has weakened the country's mobile
companies.
Separately, Mr. Jouyet said he's "flexible" on the CDC's stake
in Veolia Environnement SA (VIE.FR), a waste-management
company.
"In Veolia, we're not necessarily remaining the largest
shareholder," Mr. Jouyet said.
Newspaper website: http://www.lesechos.fr
Write to Gabriele Parussini at
gabriele.parussini@dowjones.com
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