PARIS (Reuters) - Bouygues (PA:BOUY) is still seeking a stake of about 15 percent in Orange after tie-up, a spokesman said on Wednesday, clarifying an earlier statement from the company's chief executive officer.
Martin Bouygues told a news conference earlier in the day that a 10 to 15 percent stake in Orange after the tie-up of the two French operators would be fine.
The company's spokesman Pierre Auberger said Bouygues the 10 to 15 percent stake mentioned by the CEO was not after the final deal but in reference to the part that would be paid through a capital increase by Orange in order to limit the dilution of the government's share in the company.
Orange has been in talks since early January to buy Bouygues Telecom for about 10 billion euros ($11 bln) in cash and shares in a deal that would make Bouygues the biggest shareholder in Orange after the French government.