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The Minister of Economy and CEO of Alstom were interviewed yesterday at the National Assembly.
Failing to cross in the corridors of the National Assembly, Arnaud Montebourg and Patrick Kron engaged in a skirmish around the conditions of negotiating a sale of 70% of Alstom's assets conglomerate GE U.S. ., on the occasion of their audition, subsequent to the Committee on Economic Affairs "Patrick Kron, I see much because it always asks me for help: to sell its TGV to sell diesel spare EDF to sell plants ... and it is normal that's my job [...] But Alstom never wanted to cooperate, "he was criticized, however dédouanant the largest shareholder of Alstom, Bouygues Martin.
Refuting the idea of fait accompli, Patrick Kron said in his defense that his silence vis-à-vis the government had "nothing to do with confidence but with confidentiality. This kind of project can not be completed in a major privacy. This is always the case. Between the time I became aware that an agreement was possible and leakage Bloomberg, he spent a few hours, "he pleaded. Behind him, Grégoire Poux-Guillaume, President of the Grid division, including Arnaud Montebourg said he was the only leader Alstom taken into confidence and involved in the negotiations with GE.
'Link? But it is a sale! "
On the form, Arnaud Montebourg critical to the semantics of Patrick Kron: 'link? But it is a sale! ", Said the Minister of Economy. 'Alliance, assignment, affiliation, everyone can make them taste. It is to integrate these activities to a group that has the means to ensure a future for these activities and its employees, "defended the CEO of Alstom.
On the bottom, Arnaud Montebourg pointed to the risk of loss of sovereignty in nuclear activities. "GE says it can make a clipping of nuclear activity but to sell to whom? "Questioned the minister." Areva has never made gas turbines, "he said. What also confirmed yesterday the CEO of Areva Luc oursel. "We have no intention to manufacture turbines. Turbine manufacturing is not a proper nuclear activity, has he said on the sidelines of the General Meeting Areva. We need to find the future buyer of provisions that provide us guarantees our supply " .
About a possible rival bid from the German Siemens, Arnaud Montebourg said that the group had yesterday sent a letter to Alstom to "seek clarification, deeper knowledge of Alstom in order to definitely develop a proposal." "The data room is open. These exchanges are normal, "Has it only reacted in the entourage of Patrick Kron.
"Nothing is bent, everything is decided," said he assured MPs. "If anyone does not have the critical mass sell, we will not keep much," finally found the Minister Econom