France seeks alliance, not 'absorption' of Alstom: Montebourg

Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said on Wednesday that he told General Electric the French government was ready to entertain a solution for Alstom that enabled it to have a future as a French company.

"We are ready to discuss alliances, not an absorption. We prefer an equal alliance ... not absorptions," Montebourg told a French parliament committee after Alstom said it would review a binding offer from GE for its energy business by end-May.

"It will be from the combination of economic and industrial interests, but also of economic and industrial sovereignty, that the right solution will emerge enabling Alstom to have a future in France - because what interests me is France," he said.

(Reporting by Nicholas Vinocur; writing by Mark John; Editing by Brian Love)