re TOTAL & Appeal to French for sup

[cd@xxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: re TOTAL & Appeal to French for support

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strider@xxxxxxx

Please post in next BNN report, thank you, ds

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communiqu=E9 Paris, 8 juin 1998


MADAME, MONSIEUR, =


Suite aux nouvelles d'aujoud'hui concernant la lutte pour la libert=E9 et l=
a d=E9mocratie m=E9n=E9 par la Ligue Nationale pour la D=E9mocratie (LND), =
parti du Prix Nobel de la Paix DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI, =

nous souhaitons votre vive engagement dans le presse fran=E7ais pour signal=
er notre alarme de cette crise politique et morale, qui risque  impliquer =E0=
 nouveau la France, et dans une pol=E9mique profondement contraire =E0 ses =
d=E9clarations officielles. =


EXPRIMER maintenant VOTRE OPPOSITION =E0 la sanglante r=E9pression par la j=
unte militaire (Slorc) condamn=E9e par les d=E9fenseurs des droits de l'hom=
me dans le monde enti=E8re, MAIS ENCORE SOUTENUE par le gouvernement fran=E7=
ais par la SOCIETE TOTAL, et ses dirigeants sous la direction de MON.THIERR=
Y DESMAREST, PDG TOTAL.

En tout esp=E9rance que vous puissiez agir pour la Paix et la Raison, =


Dawn Star
Pr=E9sident
Paris, Friends of Burma France, UVI.net/ Euro -Burmanet
http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma

Les documents ci-jointes : =


- article Le Monde, 8-9 juin (" Une =E9preuve de force... ")
- article Lib=E9ration, 8-9 juin (" Rangoon durcit son arsenal r=E9pressif.=
=2E ")
- article Euro-Burmanet, 4 juin (" Something more than 9% " )
- LETTRE OUVERTE AU PREMIER MINISITRE FRANCAIS - MON. ALAIN JUPPE =

- LETTRE OUVERTE AU PDG TOTAL SA, FRANCE -  MON. THIERRY DESMAREST
- article Reuter ("Total 1996 Income Swells")

<hr>
Headline: Une =E9preuve de force est de nouveau engag=E9e en Birmanie contr=
e l'opposition d=E9mocratique. La junte de Rangoun menace d'interdire la fo=
rmation de Mme. Suu Kyi
Keywords: R=E9pression mai 1996, National League for Democracy (NLD), Ligue=
 nationale pour la d=E9mocratie (LND), Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights, droi=
ts de l'homme, Slorc ban NLD, AFP, Reuter, Than Shwe, =

Date: 8-9 juin  1996 =

Source: Le Monde (Jean-Claude Pomonti)  Reuter, AFP, http://www-uvi.eunet.f=
r/asia/euro-burma
Section: ebn
Rubrique: aa

La junte militaire au pouvoir en Birmanie depuis 1988 vient de hausser le t=
ir contre les d=E9mocrates : alarm=E9e par la croissance des manifestations=
 d'opposition, elle a en effet publi=E9, vendredi 7 juin, un d=E9cret visan=
t =E0 mettre hors la loi la LND, principale force politique, du pays, dont =
le leader est Mme. Suu Kyi, cinquante ans, prix Nobel de la paix 1991, qui =
a pass=E9 six ans aux arr=EAts domiciliaires, avant d'=EAtre lib=E9r=E9e il=
 y a onze mois.

LA JUNTE militaire qui assume tous les pouvoirs en Birmanie depuis la sangl=
ante r=E9pression du mouvement d=E9mocratique de 1988 a promulgu=E9, vendre=
di 7 juin, un d=E9cret visant =E0 museler et =E9ventuellement =E0 interdire=
 la Ligue nationale pour la d=E9mocratie (LND) annoncent l'AFP et Reuter. L=
a LND, principale force d'opposition dans ce pays de 42 millions d'habitant=
s vou=E9 aux r=E9gimes martiaux depuis un tiers de si=E8cle, tendait =E0 re=
trouver un espace d'expression depuis l'=E9largissement, en juillet 1995, a=
pr=E8s six ans d'assignation =E0 domicile, de sa dirigeante, Aung San Suu K=
yi, prix Nobel de la paix 1991. Cette formation avait emport=E9 392 si=E8ge=
s, sur 485, lors d'=E9lections organis=E9es en mai 1990, dont la junte a re=
fus=E9 de reconna=EEtre les r=E9sultats : l'Assembl=E9e n'a jamais =E9t=E9 =
r=E9unie.

Le nouveau texte, sign=E9 par le g=E9n=E9ral Than Shwe, pr=E9sident du Slor=
c (Conseil d'Etat pour la restauration de la loi et de l'ordre - acronyme d=
e la junte), donne au minist=E8re de l'int=E9rieur la facult=E9 de prononce=
r des peines de prison allant jusqu'=E0 vingt ans =E0 l'encontre de quiconq=
ue chercherait =E0 entraver les travaux d'une Convention nationale qui trav=
aille depuis 1993 =E0 la mise au point d'une charte destin=E9e =E0 institut=
ionnaliser le pouvoir des arm=E9es. Il pr=E9voit aussi que toute organisati=
on affectant "'de mani=E8re n=E9gative l'int=E9r=EAt national' , notamment =
en perturbant ou violant le processus constitutionnel en cours, sera suspen=
due, dissoute ou d=E9clar=E9e ill=E9gale. Or la LND, dont les d=E9l=E9gu=E9=
s s'=E9taient retir=E9s en novembre 1995 des d=E9bats =E0 la Convention, a =
annonc=E9 en mai, vouloir r=E9diger son propre texte de Constitution. =


Le d=E9cret du 7 juin vise, enfin, toute organisation contrevenant aux lois=
 limitant les rassemblements. Il entend raviver l'interdiction officielle d=
e toute r=E9union de plus de cinq personnes : en effet, des meetings organi=
s=E9s par Mme. Suu Kyi ont lieu tous les samedis devant son domicile de Ran=
goun depuis sa lib=E9ration. Et la participation =E0 ces rencontres au cour=
s desquelles le chef de l'opposition s'adresse =E0 ses partisans a cr=FB au=
 fil des mois : samedi 1er juin, peu apr=E8s que la junte eut interpell=E9 =
262 membres de la LND - tous des =E9lus de 1990 -, en vue d'emp=EAcher un r=
assemblement destin=E9 =E0 f=EAter, pr=E9cis=E9ment, le sixi=E8me anniversa=
ire de leur victoire, 10 000 =E0 15 000 personnes s'=E9taient rassembl=E9es=
 devant chez Mme. Suu Kyi, indiquent les agences. =


Les autorit=E9s en ont lib=E9r=E9 144 apr=E8s les avoir, selon un communiqu=
=E9, 'trait=E9es comme h=F4tes temporaires du gouvernement'.  Mais, d=E9sor=
mais, elles menacent 'tous les membres de la LND' d'une remise 'sur le droi=
t chemin': celui de Insein, la prison de Rangoun, o=F9, selon les d=E9fense=
urs des droits de l'homme, la torture est chose courante et les conditions =
de d=E9tention sont tr=E8s p=E9nibles. La LND craint en particulier que la =
centaine de ses cadres qui demeurent aux mains des autorit=E9s depuis la fi=
n mai ne soient menac=E9s de longues peines de prison.

L'=E9preuve de force pouvait survenir d=E8s samedi 8 juin : Mme Suu Kyi a e=
n effet annonc=E9 qu'elle maintenant la r=E9union devant chez elle. Des rou=
leaux de fils de fer barbel=E9s ont =E9t=E9 d=E9pos=E9s vendredi par les fo=
rces de l'ordre devant sa r=E9sidence, sans toutefois =EAtre d=E9ploy=E9s.

R=E9agissant =E0 ces =E9v=E9nements, les Etats-Unis ont annonc=E9 vendredi =
la nomination et l'envoi dans la r=E9gion de deux envoy=E9s sp=E9ciaux (Wil=
liam Brown et Stanley Roth), qui auront mission de coordonner la r=E9ponse =
de la communaut=E9 internationale. =


Pour l'instant, seul le Japon a, en Asie, condamn=E9 cette nouvelle vague d=
e r=E9pression en Birmanie. Washington a aussi lanc=E9 un appel au Slorc af=
in qu'il 'mettre fin =E0 sa strat=E9gie de pression' contre les d=E9mocrate=
s. (J.-P.C.)

fin text Le Monde

******

" Rangoon durcit son arsenal r=E9pressif contre l'opposition : Des mesures =
qui visent le prix Nobel, Aung San Suu Kyi ", June 8-9, 1996 , Lib=E9ration=
 (RF), Reuter, AFP, http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma

Rangoon  -  Le gouvernement militaire birman a adopt=E9 vendredi plusieurs =
mesures pour museler les militants de l'opposition, qui se voient menacer d=
e lourdes peines d'emprisonnement. Ces nouvelles d=E9cisions de la junte, a=
nnonc=E9es par les m=E9dias, visent la leader de l'opposition, le prix Nobe=
l de la paix Aung San Suu Kyi, et son parti, la Ligue national pour la d=E9=
mocratie (LND).

Un d=E9cret, rendu public vendredi par le gouvernement de Rangoon, menace d=
e peines allant jusqu'=E0 vingt ans de prison toute personne qui 's'opposer=
ait au processus de r=E9daction de la nouvelle constitution national'. La r=
=E9daction de la nouvelle constitution a =E9t=E9 confi=E9e par le pouvoir, =
il y a trois ans d=E9j=E0, =E0 une "convention nationale" compos=E9e de d=E9=
l=E9gu=E9s, tri=E9s sur le volet.

Le d=E9cret interdit en outre =E0 quiconque, en nom propre ou au  nom d'une=
 organisation, de critiquer et de troubler les politiques mises en oeuvre p=
ar le Conseil de restauration de la loi et de l'ordre (Slorc, sigle d=E9sig=
nant la junte au pouvoir). Il prohibe toute action pouvant affecter 'la pai=
x, la stabilit=E9 et la solidarit=E9 de la nationa'. Il interdit aussi tout=
 ce qui pourrait 'cr=E9er des malentendus' au sujet de la 'convention natio=
nale'.  =


Le projet constitutionnel auquel s'attelle la 'convention nationale' d=E9si=
gn=E9e par les militaires vise =E0 octroyer =E0 la junte la plupart des pou=
voirs, tout en amnistiant les responsables de la r=E9pression sanglante du =
mouvement =E9tudiant de 1988. Ce =E0 quoi s'oppose la LND, vainquez des =E9=
lections de 1990. Ces =E9lections furent aussit=F4t annul=E9es par la junte=
, qui emprisonna pendant plusieurs ann=E9es la plupart de d=E9put=E9s =E9lu=
s de la LND.

Assign=E9e =E0 r=E9sidence depuis lors, Aung San Suu Kyi a =E9t=E9 remise e=
n libert=E9 en juillet 1995. En mai dernier, la leader de l'opposition a te=
nt=E9 de r=E9unir les d=E9put=E9s de son parti =E9lus six ans plus t=F4t. L=
a junte a r=E9agi en arr=EAtant 262 d'entre eux. 154 ont depuis =E9t=E9 env=
oy=E9s =E0 Insein, une prison connue pour =EAtre un centre de torture, selo=
n la presse tha=EFlandaise. =


Un autre d=E9cret rendu public vendredi par la radio donne au minist=E8re d=
e l'Int=E9rieur le pouvoir d'interdire toute organisation dont les activit=E9=
s " affectent de mani=E8re n=E9gative l'int=E9r=EAt national ", ou qui viol=
e les lois limitant les rassemblements, et d'en incarc=E9rer les membres. I=
l s'agit d'une 'feu verte' pour la dissolution de la LND, qui organise des =
meetings chaque samedi regroupant jusqu'=E0 10 000 partisans devant le domi=
cile de Aung San Suu Kyi de tenir un nouveau rassemblement ce samedi. Celle=
-ci semble n=E9anmoins d=E9termin=E9e =E0 ne pas se plier aux injonctions d=
es militaires.

fin text Lib=E9ration =

******

LETTRE OUVERTE AU PREMIER MINISITRE FRANCAIS - MONSIEUR ALAIN JUPPE

Paris, le 28 mai 1996
Monsieur le Premier Ministre
H=F4tel Matignon
58, rue de Varenne
75007 Paris
 =

Monsieur le Premier Ministre,
 =

Je me permets d'attirer votre attention sur les arrestations r=E9centes en =
Birmanie.

 Plus de 250 membres de la Ligue Nationale pour la D=E9mocratie (LND), part=
i du Prix Nobel de la Paix Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ont =E9t=E9 arr=EAt=E9s al=
ors qu'ils s'appr=EAtaient =E0 rendre =E0 un rassemblement comm=E9morant le=
 sixi=E8me anniversaire des =E9lections de 1990 qui leur avaient donn=E9 un=
 pouvoir toujours refus=E9e par la junte. =


Amnesty International ainsi que le Departement d'Etat d'Etats-Unis, la Mais=
on Blanche et la Commission Europ=E9ene crainent qu'ils soient tortur=E9es =
pendant leur d=E9tention.

 Apr=E8s le Japon, l'Australie, les Etats-Unis, la Canada, la Hollande, l'A=
llemagne..,la liste des pays condamnant ses arrestations se fait de plus en=
 plus longue tous les jours, mais la France a =E9t=E9 =E9tonnamment silenci=
euse jusqu'=E0 pr=E9sent. Pourtant, en tant qu'un des premiers investisseur=
s en Birmanie, elle a les moyens de se faire entendre.
 =

 En esp=E9rant que vous prendrez vos responsabilit=E9s en condamnant un des=
 r=E9gimes les plus sanguinaire de la plan=EAte, je vous prie de croire, Mo=
nsieur le Premier Minsitre, en notre haute consid=E9ration.

David Boilley
Dawn Star

Paris
EuroBurmaNet
http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/

cd@xxxxxxx
boilley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx =

http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma

******

LETTRE OUVERTE AU PDG TOTAL SA, FRANCE

Paris, le 4 juin 1996
Monsieur le Pr=E9sident Directeur G=E9n=E9ral
TOTAL
Tour Total
24, cours Michelet
92 069 Paris la D=E9fense Cedex
 =

Monsieur le Pr=E9sident Directeur G=E9n=E9ral
 =

 Je me permets d'attirer votre attention sur les arrestations r=E9centes en=
 Birmanie. =


Plus de 250 membres de la Ligue Nationale pour la D=E9mocratie (LND), parti=
 du Prix Nobel de la Paix Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ont =E9t=E9 arr=EAt=E9s alo=
rs qu'ils s'appr=EAtaient =E0 rendre =E0 un rassemblement comm=E9morant le =
sixi=E8me anniversaire des =E9lections de 1990 qui leur avaient donn=E9 un =
pouvoir toujours refus=E9 par la junte. =


Amnesty International ainsi que le D=E9partement d'Etat d'Etats-Unis et la =
Maison Blanche et la Commission Europ=E9ene crainent qu'ils soient tortur=E9=
es pendant leur d=E9tention.
 =

La soci=E9t=E9 TOTAL est le premier investisseur =E9tranger dans ce pays av=
ec le projet d'exploitation de gaz et la construction d'un gazoduc tr=E8s c=
ontrovers=E9.

Vous avez donc les moyens de vous faire entendre et d'obtenir la lib=E9rati=
on de ces prisonniers.
 =

En esp=E9rant que vous prendrez vos responsabilit=E9s en condamnant un des =
r=E9gimes les plus sanguinaire de la plan=EAte, je vous prie de croire, Mon=
sieur  Pr=E9sident Directeur G=E9n=E9ral, en notre haute consid=E9ration.


David Boilley
boilley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Dawn Star
EuroBurmaNet
http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma
 =

******
 =

<hr>
Headline: Something more than 9%
TOTAL's President Thierry D=E9marest fails to satisfy shareholders
Keywords: Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights, Total Annual Shareholders Meeting=
,  Total Assembl=E9 G=E9n=E9ral, Total PDG, Thierry D=E9smarest,  Thierry D=
esmarest, Le Monde, Lib=E9ration, Total Shareholders, Total South Africa, T=
otal, advertising, Apartheid,
Date: June 4,  1996
Source: UVI.net,  Euro-Burmanet, (Dawn Star)
Section: ebn
Rubrique: TOTAL

Paris - He came, he saw, but he didn't conquer the sceptical minds of the T=
OTAL shareholders thinking about about their 9% growth in 1995 over the pre=
vious year, and the 8.70 francs paid to each dividend in their stock portfo=
lios. In a subdued  crowded Paris' La D=E9fense auditorium a stone's throw =
from the TOTAL TOWER headquarters, TOTAL President and Chief Operation Offi=
cer, Thierry D=E9smarest, looking trim and  younger than his age, assured i=
nvestors with figures rolled smoothly off his lips. =


But when it came to the question of Burma and the Yadana gas pipeline deal =
with the anti-democratic military regime, he stumbled, and fell into embarr=
assing contradictions of the company's investment in Burma, mirrored by the=
 ironic publicity campaign mounted in the French national press yesterday. =


In major french newspapers like Le Monde and Lib=E9ration, TOTAL took out t=
hree full pages of ads, starting with the a message " Should a multinationa=
l sacrifice its objectives, including respect for human rights?"

Shareholders remained incomprehensible, many of them revolted when interest=
ed shareholders criticized TOTAL's president what to them seemed to be a mi=
ndless waste of company funds for a message that did not ring with the trut=
h. Mr. D=E9smarest defended the publicity campaign in the press saying that=
 TOTAL did not want "to submit to the banality of institutional advertising=
 ". =


At the same time he did not speak about the content of the ads : " In South=
 Africa, TOTAL shareholders discovered how TOTAL  implemented a policy of m=
ultiracial integration well ahead of the end of apartheid. " TOTAL  South  =
Africa, founded in 1954, had one black employee in 1990. =


According to company reports,  "TOTAL has a strong presence in South Africa=
 where it holds a sizable market share." =


When questioned about the effect of Iraq selling 700,000 barrels of oil on =
the world market, TOTAL, admitted it will abide US government sanctions,but=
 then  Mr. Desmarest scoffed at the current sanctions move in the US Congre=
ss by Senator D'Amato (NY) referred to as "political maneuvering during a p=
residential election year ". =


Nonetheless, it was international economic pressure brought on by South Afr=
ica sanctions that finally ended Apartheid - and not Total's community welf=
are programmes.

Mr. Desmarest did not appear to remember history, and showed even less resp=
ect for it . Following  questions from the shareholder audience over the in=
coherent publicity campaign of TOTAL South Africa,  Dietrich, of UVI/ Euro-=
Burmanet, asked Mr. Desmarest about the TOTAL  - Burma connection : =


" Regarding your publicity in the French press yesterday on TOTAL South Afr=
ica, let me briefly say that it was the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Bishop =
Desmond Tutu, of South Africa, who called Burma " the South Africa of the 9=
0's. TOTAL's investment in Burma raises the question of the company's strat=
egic investment interest on its billion dollar Yadana pipeline project, of =
which some US$400 million a year is to go to the anti-democratic military r=
egime each year for the next  thirty years - actually your own corporate sp=
okesman Joseph Daniel says that the actual sum is 'more or less half that a=
mount'. Now you know that during the last two weeks, the military has arres=
ted hundreds of democratic supporters of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, she too winn=
er of the Nobel Peace Prize. Allegations in the world press - Wall Street J=
ournal, Washington Post, New York Times, AP, ...and press here in France,  =
over the use of forced forced labor by TOTAL on the pipeline have gone unan=
swered by TOTAL. "

" Now the world is waiting for you, Mr. President, to speak about this alle=
ged use of forced labor, documented by human rights organisations around th=
e world, including the UN Commission for Human Rights. In the face of these=
 allegations, and the appeal by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to stop foreign invest=
ment in Burma, what is the position of TOTAL on the use of forced labor on =
the TOTAL pipeline project, and are you going to continue investment in the=
 military regime in Burma? "

Mr. Desmarest responded in understatement and contradiction. "We stayed in =
South Africa when it was not popular to do so," explained TOTAL's president=
=2E  "We implemented social programs and community works which have since f=
ound an important place there. And I recently met South African leaders who=
 praised our committment and what we did."

"It was expected that the question of Burma would be raised ", he replied t=
o  the packed auditorium near the Great Arch, in Paris, La Defense.  "But w=
e never comment on the internal politics of a country.  This is true about =
Burma or wherever TOTAL is engaged in business..." Neither a denial nor aff=
irmation. A virtual no-comment  and guarded response.  Shareholders were wa=
iting for more. On the esplanade of the entrance to  shareholder convention=
 hall, InfoBirmanie volunteers had passed out "Letter to Total shareholders=
: What is Total doing in Burma" citing the crimes and allegations that has =
engulfed the Yadana pipeline in endless controversy.

"Concerning our implmentation," TOTAL's President  added,  "we follow all i=
nternational laws, and the laws of the country we invest in.  In Burma we h=
ave given fair salaries and medical treatment aimed at improving the welfar=
e of the people. " =


TOTAL's reasoning was that embargoes -  " Cuba and Asia thirty years ago " =
 -have produced contrary results, and do not contribute to the development =
of a country. "That never happens to a country left in isolation ". A large=
 part of the shareholder audience then exploded in applause, the most enthu=
siastic uproar from a crowed otherwise muted by the litany of corporate fac=
ts and figures. =


No, Burma was not forgotten today at TOTAL's annual dividend rendezvous bet=
ween shareholders, journalists and the top corporate management. But while =
Thierry Desmarest held on to the standard TOTAL line, he went even further =
away from the truth of allegations of human rights violations and TOTAL com=
plicity in the crimes of the Burmese generals, while the people become more=
 isolated and impoverished under the tyranny of a regime that can count onc=
e again on the tacit approval of the state-owned multinational oil company.=
 =


On leaving the assembly it was apparent that many in the auditorium were no=
t of the opinion of their president. One veteran TOTAL worker, a financial =
"controller", who participated in the Unocal - TOTAL negotiations, was clea=
rly upset by the failure of Mr. Desmarest to respond openly and clearly to =
the allegations of forced labor.

When presented with a copy of the TOTAL Denial Report, prepared by the Sout=
heast Asia Information Network (SAIN) and EarthRights International (ERI), =
he said he had never been to Burma but would read the document closely.  "I=
 am a member of Amnesty International " he said. "It is terrible what is ha=
ppening in China now. Everyone wants to do business there, but do they reme=
mber Tiananmen? "

But he did not know that China had sold over two billion dollars of arms to=
 Burma.

" What is the name of that woman? "

" Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, " I said.

" She must be very courageous to stand up against those generals? ", said t=
he TOTAL worker.

" She is courageous and wise and she speaks the truth. That is why the Burm=
ese military are afraid of her. You should read her book, 'Freedom from Fea=
r'.  She wrote it for you, and your President. Maybe you will then understa=
nd what the struggle for freedom in Burma is really about."

" I will look for the book. Thank you. I will, " said the Total worker, who=
 smiled, then turned and left the hall enriched by something he knew was pr=
iceless, and which could not be sold to a hall of shareholders interested i=
n only 9%...

http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma

******

<hr>
Headline: TOTAL 1996 INCOME SWELLS
Keywords: May crackdown, National League for Democracy (NLD), Aung San Suu =
Kyi, human rights, " Beyond Rangoon ", Free Burma Act, US Senate hearing , =
TOTAL SA, TOTAL Annual Meeting , Carlo de Benedetti, Thierry Desmarest, Thi=
erry D=E9smarest, Serge Tchuruk, Alcatel Alsthom, U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Am=
ato, InfoBirmanie,
Date: 06 June 1996
Source: MOE@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (JULIEN MOE), FBC, Reuter, =

Section: TOTAL

  PARIS - French energy group Total SA on Tuesday said its
operating income in the first five months of 1996 was up by about a third,
but chairman Thierry Desmarest said caution kept him from making a full-yea=
r forecast.

Desmarest told the annual general meeting that business conditions and
the price of the dollar and oil had been better for the company than in the=
 previous year.

    ``Business growth coupled with slightly better business conditions than=

in 1994 and 1995 and company-wide efforts to improve productivity should
lead to a substantial increase, of about one third, in operating income ove=
r
the first five months of 1996 in relation to the year-earlier period,''
Desmarest said.

    But because of rapid fluctuations in the industry he refrained from a
forecast for the full year 1996, apart from reiterating his goal of reachin=
g
an income of at least 10 percent of share capital in 1998, against about
seven percent in 1995.

    ``I am convinced that we will be able to raise the return on equity eve=
n
higher over the medium term,'' he added.

    Total in 1995 posted a net income of 2.25 billion francs, down from 3.3=
8
billion, on sales of 135.83 billion.

    He noted that the price of oil, currently at around $18 per barrel, was=

higher than the $16 the group had expected and the dollar also had been
favourable. But he saw the oil price weakening in the rest of the year,
partly due to resumed exports by Iraq.

    The profit improvement will be achieved mainly through an increase in
the group's energy production capacity, a reducton in its refining role,
better perfomance of its distribution activities and further growth in
chemicals and its Hutchinson unit which makes products for the car industry=
=2E

    Desmarest said, however, that while the group wanted to expand
Hutchinson's activities, it had decided not to make an offer for a 28
percent stake in French car parts group Valeo because the asking price was
too high.

    Italian businessman Carlo de Benedetti wants to sell his 28 percent
Valeo stake held by the Cerus French holding company.

    Under former chairman Serge Tchuruk, who joined Alcatel Alsthom last
year as chairman, Total wanted to double production capacity outside the
Middle East and boost the total to one million barrels of oil equivalent
(boe) per day by 2000.

    Desmarest is setting his goals higher and he said the group's productio=
n
could substantially exceed the one million b/day level and reach up to
1,250,000 b/day in 2005.

    ``The second objective is to develop our gas business where  we are
becoming one of the global industry's most important competitors. We also
want to expand throughout the gas chain, including gas distribution and
power generation in markets where the regulation allows it,'' Desmarest sai=
d.

    By the end of the century the group would be more of an upstream oil an=
d
gas producer than a refiner and also more of a marketer than a refiner, he
said.

    Desmarest said that there was an overcapacity in European refining of 1=
5
percent and he said that ``There is no way to avoid participating, in one
way or the other, in an industry-wide restructuring, especially in France.'=
'

    Outside the meeting hall, (InfoBirmanie) protesters said Total supporte=
d the regime in
Burma which they said was infringing human rights.

    And U.S. Senator Alfonse D'Amato had written to Total warning of
probable American sanctions if it went ahead with two (deals with Iran and =
Iraq).


JOIN THE  TOTAL DEBATE NOW! DOES TOTAL'S ENERGY BUSINESS CREATE NEW REFUGEE=
S ?
FREE BURMA NOW ! =


Send your letters now : =


TOTAL  SA
Thierry Desmarest, CEO, President of Exploration and Production,
HQ: 24 Cours Michelet 92800 Puteaux France
Tel: 33-1-41-35-40-00  Fax: 33-1-41-35-64-65

E-mail : =

Paris France,  : <hourcard@xxxxxxxxx
New York City  <TOTALNYC@xxxxxxx , <roberth@xxxxxxxxx

http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma
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fin communiqu=E9 Paris, 8 juin 1998

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