France's Hollande eyes frigate deal during Greece visit

French President Francois Hollande will bring a message of support during a visit Tuesday to Athens, where he will attempt to clinch a lucrative frigate deal with Greek officials.

The six-hour visit will focus on Greece‘s privatization process, with Athens reportedly keen for French company EDF to bid in the international tender for Greece‘s natural gas companies DEPA and DESFA.

Hollande is also expected to discuss other investment opportunities with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, and try to convince officials to lease two FREMM multi-purpose frigates for the exploration of gas and oil reserves in the Aegean.

France‘s Le Figaro newspaper said Hollande will be aiming to send a message to foreign investors that Greece‘s fiscal consolidation efforts and structural reforms are starting to pay off. dpa cp Author: Christine Pirovolakis