Brussels, 09/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - Monday evening's meeting between Competition Commissioner Mario Monti and the Minister of the Economy Francis Mer on the proposed aid from the French State to the French Alstom group did not provide any concrete result and discussions will be speeded up on the subject over the next few days. The French Minister is currently trying to convince the European Commission of the urgent need for state aid to the industrial group and wants the increase in capital to be treated as safeguard aid which will avoid job losses. Mario Monti is insisting on the need for the European green light before any intervention is considered as restructuring aid. At the end of the meeting, spokesman, Tilman Lueder indicated that there was a lot of good will on both sides. The Commission, however, remains, unmoved with regard to the nature of the aid envisaged and continues to demand that France re-qualifies its intervention. The stakes at play are obtaining a compromise that is consistent with the permanent measures (as capital intervention or long term loans) which have the advantage of gaining authorisation more rapidly. He warned that, "If we do not agree on temporary measures…the Commission will take measures so that no other aid can be granted". The problem is one of size as France has already spent an initial tranche of EUR 300 million without waiting for the preliminary authorisation and wants to obtain a green light rapidly for a second payment of 300 million on 27 September.