- India: AIR FRANCE withdrew its joint candidacy, with that of the American company DELTA AIRLINES, for the acquisition of a share in the capital of AIR INDIA. According to Indian sources close to the dossier, this withdrawal is linked to the conditions set by New Delhi in the privatisation process and the right to have a say retained by the Indian authorities over the management of AIR INDIA's affairs, notably in the formation of the administrative council. AIR FRANCE raised, for its part, the withdrawal of its Indian partner ITC as the reason for its withdrawal. For information, the Indian government hopes to sell 60% of the AIR INDIA stakes, which has accumulated losses estimated at 10 billion Rupees over the last five years. 40% would go to a "strategic partner" (of which a maximum 26% to a foreign company) and 20% to the employees and financial institutions. See EI of 13&14 November. - Cameroon: The American group AES was designated provisional adjudicator for the privatisation of SONEL - SOCIETE NATIONALE D'ELECTRCITE DU CAMEROUN, announced the Cameroon Ministry for the Economy and Finances. This selection paves the way from the opening of exclusive negotiations between AES, which will gain 51% of the capital, and the government. This follows on from a call for tenders launched in June 2000. Six companies were pre-selected in July: EDF - ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE and SAUR (French group BOUYGUES), HYDRO QUEBEC (Canada), AES (United States), ESKOM (South Africa) and UNION FENOSA (Spain).