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French president determined to avoid Alstom's Belfort shutdwon

Xinhua, September 13, 2016 Adjust font size:

French President Francois Hollande on Monday vowed to make further mobilization to increase Alstom's order, France's leading power equipment and train manufacturer, to avoid the shutdown of its Belfort factory, the company's oldest site.

"We must mobilize (efforts) so that there are more orders, so that this company then can keep its sites...," Hollande said at a training center in Paris suburbs.

"We must bring it order. The role of all public stakeholders, transport companies SNCF, RATP, in the framework of existed agreements and which must be respected, is to bring order," he added.

Alstom has announced a plan to stop activities at Belfort site, northeastern France, by the end of 2018 to manage overcapacity.

In a context of persistent high joblessness, the new plan of the French trainmaker would put 400 jobs at stake, adding more pressure on Hollande, months ahead the presidential election.

The Socialist leader has set reversing unemployment trend as a condition to run for 2017 race to the Elysee Palace.

Chairing a meeting with ministers earlier on Monday, Hollande "has given ... a target: to make sure Alstom's railway activities are maintained," Finance Minister Michel Sapin quoted him as saying.

The state maintains 20 percent of Alstom stake. Endit