Mitsubishi eyes \\\'various possibilities\\\' on Alstom

TOKYO, June 16 (AFP): Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said Monday it was studying "various possibilities" for a joint deal with Siemens to buy pieces of French power-generation giant Alstom, with an offer deadline set to expire later in the day.
The Japanese firm and its German partner last week announced they would decide whether to make a formal proposal by June 16, a move that could scupper General Electric's $17 billion bid for Alstom's energy business, which has run into political opposition in France.
"We are considering various possibilities about a proposal concerning some operations of France's Alstom but no decision has been made at the moment," Mitsubishi said in a statement on Monday.
The fast-approaching deadline comes after Japan's leading Nikkei business daily reported last week that Mitsubishi would offer to buy a 10 per cent stake in Alstom, as it looks to convince the French government to give it the nod over General Electric. The Nikkei said the Japanese-German alliance would also buy Alstom's gas and steam turbines businesses for nearly $10 billion.
A source told the news agency on Thursday that the minority stake idea was meant to reassure Paris that Mitsubishi wants to forge a broader alliance with Alstom, amid concerns about breaking up the French "national jewel".