France inks energy deals with Qatar during Sarkozy visit
FRANCE, France and Qatar signed electricity and nuclear power deals
on Monday after President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Doha from Saudi
Arabia, where he forecast that Paris would win multi-billion dollar
contracts in the future.
Areva Transmission and Distribution, a subsidiary of French nuclear
power group Areva, signed a contract worth 470 million euros (695
million dollars) for the supply of sub-stations to provide electricity
throughout Qatar with the Gulf state's water and electricity company
Kahrama, a source in Sarkozy's delegation said.
A memorandum of understanding was also inked by Qatar with
Electricite de France (EDF) to "discuss cooperation in the production of
nuclear power and renewable solar and wind energies," the source said.
The talks will initially cover an agreement to help conduct a
feasibility study and will not involve an investment, the source said.
Another MoU provided for cooperation at the international level
between Qatar Petroleum International and Gaz de France.
French and Qatari officials also discused a series of other accords
potentially worth 6.3 billion euros (9.3 billion dollars).
Around 20 business bosses, including Areva chief executive Anne
Lauvergeon and Christophe de Margerie, head of the Total oil group, were
accompanying the French leader in the Qatari capital.
Before leaving the Saudi capital earlier on Monday, Sarkozy had
reiterated an offer to Arab and Muslim countries to share French
expertise to develop civilian nuclear energy.
On Tuesday, France is expected to sign an accord on civilian nuclear
cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, the third and final stage of
Sarkozy's Gulf tour. It will be the third such agreement with an Arab
country, following those reached with Algeria and Libya in December.
Sarkozy told the Saudi Shura (consultative) Council "it is in the
name of justice that France believes that access to civilian nuclear
power should be the right of all peoples."
Paris, Tuesday, AFP |
