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FRENCH CONNECTION?



IS THERE A CONNECTION?
 
These two items appeared in September. Is there a connection?
 
 
 
KAREN WOMEN FORCED TO LEAVE HOMELAND.
 
BANGKOK: Burmese authorities are moving "long-necked"
minority women from their homes in eastern Burma to Rangoon
to live in a tourist village, a Burmese opposition group
reported yesterday. Ethnic minority people from the hills of
north Karen had been ordered to leave their homes by
November 10, the dissident All Burma Students' Democratic
Front said. Those ordered to move are members of the Padaung
ethnic group, whose women wear metal rings to lengthen their
necks. - Reuter.
 
(The Sydney Morning Herald, September 6, 1995, page 12.)
 
 .................................................................
 
CLUBMED LOOKS TO ASIA
 
   PARIS, Sept 26 (AFP) - Club Mediterranee is to raise about 900
million francs (180 million dollars) to build holiday villages in
Asia, and notably in Burma, the Philippines and Cambodia, the
group said on Tuesday.
   It wanted to develop its business in the region with local
partners, the company said.
   Club Mediterranee also said that the Italian Agnelli family
would become its biggest shareholder by acquiring shares held by
the Credit Lyonnais bank as part of the arrangements surrounding
the capital increase.
   The board had decided in principle to increase its capital by
about 900 million francs.
   Exor S.A., the French operation of the holding company
controlled by the Italian Agnelli family which has been a
shareholder for 21 years with 2.97 percent of the stock, would
acquire a holding of 5.42 percent from the troubled state-
controlled Credit Lyonnais bank.
   Exor would also subscribe to new capital and would emerge as
the biggest single shareholder with a stake of about 13 percent,
Club Mediterranee said.
   The Agnelli family is the main force behind the Italian auto
and engineering group.
   The next-biggest shareholder would be the French quasi-state
savings and deposit institution the Caisse des depots et des
consignations which would hold 6.29 percent of the shares and
10.60 percent of the voting rights.
   The president of Exor S.A., Ruy Brandolini, said: "We have had
very close relations with Club Mediterranee for more than 20
years. Our additional investment in the capital of the company
demonstrates our confidence in the management and in the very
promising prospects for the international development of the
company."
   Club founder Serge Trigano said that the business was not
passing into Italian hands and he noted that only one third of
the customers were French and that the group was present in 38
countries.
   The extra capital would also be used to renovate old club
villages and to acquire the outstanding capital of the US
operation, Club Med Inc, of which the parent owns 70.8 percent.