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Powerful Lobbies Command the Attention in French Fuel Crisis

Aired September 6, 2000 - 6:15 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: A third day of blockades looms of French fuel depots and refineries. The largest truckers' union has rejected the government's offer of a 15 percent cut in the fuel tax. The government says that's its best offer.

CNN's Jim Bittermann reports that more trouble may lie ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Roadblocks and barricades up: France once again in crisis. But this time, the cause, the high price of fuel, was one practically everyone here could sympathize. Yet, while the problem touches all, the government seems determined to find solutions only for specific groups, a tactic apparently designed to avoid surrendering too much fuel-tax revenue, but a tactic which has only guaranteed further unrest by those who fear being left out.

First came the fishermen, who blockaded ports and won tax breaks on fuel -- next, the truckers, who blockaded refineries and have won their own tax break on diesel, even if some groups did not immediately accept it -- directly behind them the farmers, who have stayed in hour-by-hour contact with the truckers, and who say if no one addresses their problems, they will take over the truckers' blockades.

A farm leader with long experience negotiating in French real politique knows the government will give in.

YVE SALMON, NATIONAL FARMERS FEDERATION: We firmly hope to get something.

BITTERMANN (on camera): Everybody wants to get something.

SALMON: In this country, yes, because it's a country of equality.

BITTERMANN (voice-over): True, but some groups are more equal than others. Tour-bus operators knew they had to demonstrate, but did not expect to be first in line, because they have a less powerful organization.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Always, we must do the same movement, the same actions, but after. BITTERMANN: And some groups, like the barge operators, who have blocked the River Seine with their boats, saw this as a moment to get more than their share, because they have been ignored in the past.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want, I think, more than the truckers, yes.

BITTERMANN: And so, if the government has been forced to hand out concessions, everyone is now lining up get a share. The farm leader knows though that the strongest are served first.

SALMON: Bus companies, the taxi companies, perhaps they will get the remainings of the pie, of the cake.

BITTERMANN: But left out entirely are those who perhaps are suffering from fuel hikes the most: individuals who must pay more than twice the price for heating fuel this year as last and car owners with no strong lobbying organization to defend them.

(on camera): In his first pronouncement on the crisis, the French prime minister said that the problem of high fuel costs will be dealt with on a sector-by-sector basis. Even though it's a problem that affects most everyone here, it is only the organized interests groups which are getting the government's attention.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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