February 21, 2007	Wednesday	Safar 3, 1428

PARIS, Feb 20: Strains between France and Germany over a rescue plan for Airbus hardened on Tuesday when Germany deflected French suggestions that a top-level meeting on Friday could decide where cuts will fall.

French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said Airbus restructuring would cost 10,000 jobs and the cuts would be discussed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Jacques Chirac at a meeting on Friday.

But a German government spokesman said that details of cuts and closures were “speculation” and that the talks would not turn into “an Airbus summit”.

Meanwhile strong concern was expressed on both sides of the border about the dangers of political interference in how restructuring at aircraft maker Airbus, expected to involve the loss of 10,000 jobs, should be applied.

Unemployment and job protection is a hot subject in campaigning in France ahead of a presidential election in April.

—AFP