(AP) - LONDON AP) -- The chief executive of struggling European airplane manufacturer Airbus has criticized political interference in the firm as it undertakes a contentions restructuring plan.
Louis Gallois told the Financial Times newspaper in comments published Saturday that the countries with a stake in Airbus had all tried to save their own share of the company as it closes plants and slashes jobs. He told the newspaper that 'national conflicts are a poison for this company.'
'I was very surprised to see that every government -- the British, the French, the Germans and the Spanish -- were all saying we want the best share of the cake, we want composites and high technology and so on,' Gallois was quoted as saying.
'My job was to save Airbus and give a future to Airbus.
'I saw a lot of people wanting the best share of the cake and the size of the cake was not important to them. I said it was most important that in 20 years we still have an Airbus,' he said.
Airbus is struggling to find buyers for its much-delayed A380 superjumbo plane. UPS Inc. on Friday said it was canceling an order for 10 of the cargo version of the jet, leaving Airbus with no orders for the superjumbo freighter. Airbus still has orders for passenger versions of the A380.
Gallois on Wednesday announced a restructuring plan, dubbed 'Power8,' that will see 10,000 jobs cut in France, Germany, Spain and Britain and the sale or closure of six Airbus plants.
French unions have called for a one-day strike next Tuesday against the plan, and German Airbus workers may join the strike.
Earlier this week, EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot also called for the plane maker to be free of 'political interference.' Speaking on Europe-1 radio, Barrot said the company has been 'paying the high price of bad governance, with the involvement of several governments.'
Toulouse, France-based Airbus is owned by the Franco-German defense company European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. Britain's BAE Systems sold its 20 percent stake in the plane maker last year.
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