French State Railways (SNCF) seeks PKP cooperation

National French train operator SNCF wants to tighten its cooperation with Polskie Koleje Panstwowe S.A. (PKP) and in the distant future participate in its privatization, said SNCF president Louis Gallois during a visit in Warsaw yesterday. Gallois said that railway operators have to put more emphasis on international cooperation, since demand for local freight transport is dropping. He noted it is particularly important for SNCF, Europe's top rail carrier in terms of cargo shipped, to collaborate with the no. 2 player, PKP. Before PKP itself is privatized, SNCF, through its affiliates Via Cariane and SNCF International, is looking to acquire a stake in the Warsaw Commuter Railway (WKD), which serves some 9 million people commuting to Warsaw. In related news, seven banks are vying to grant PKP a zl.700 million loan guaranteed by the State Treasury. According to unofficial information they are WestLB Polska, Citibank, consortium of Commerzbank and BRE Bank, Deutsche Bank, and ING Bank together with its subsidiary Bank Slaski. The loan will repay earlier obligations, as well as for investments in fleet. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p.1; Puls Biznesu, p.6; Rzeczpospolita, p.B1) T.J