Renault reveals industrial espionage by three managers

Auto giant Renault on Thursday revealed that three of its managers engaged in industrial espionage which prompted French officials to declare an economic war against the nation, Radio France Internationale (RFI) reported.

The automaker said that its strategic, intellectual and technological assets were the target of espionage as three manager leaked company secrets. The three officials were later suspended.

Obama to meet Sarkozy at the White House next week

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to visit to White House in Washington, D.C. next week to discuss a broad range of issues with U.S. President Barack Obama, the White House announced on Tuesday.

The office of White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Sarkozy will visit the White House next Monday. "As France assumes the Presidency of the G-8 and the G-20 for 2011, the President looks forward to working with President Sarkozy to sustain the global economic recovery and create job," the office said in a brief statement.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss 'a broad range' of current foreign policy and security issues.

Russia accepts French bid to build amphibious assault ships

Paris, 24 December 2010
Dmitri Medvedev, President of the Russian Federation, today informed French President Nicolas Sarkozy that, following the international call for tender issued on 5 October 2010 to supply the Russian navy with two amphibious assault ships [LHDs or BPCs (bâtiments de projection et de commandement as they are known in French)], the Russian authorities have accepted the offer put forward by the consortium formed by the French manufacturers DCNS and STX, and Russian shipyard OSK.

The consortium’s offer first provides for the joint construction of two ships of this type, which should be extended by the production of two more.

Presidents Medvedev and Sarkozy welcome the concrete form given to this unprecedented cooperation, which will benefit industry and employment in our two countries and highlights France and Russia’s determination and capacity to develop ambitious partnerships in every field, including defence and security.
The Presidency of the Republic adds that the construction of the LHDs for Russia will equate to five million working hours or 1,000 jobs over four years, mainly at Saint-Nazaire, for the French manufacturers DCNS and STX.


Source: Construction of amphibious assault ships – Joint communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic and the Presidency of the Russian Federation ambafrance-uk.org