BRUSSELS, Dec 17 (Reuters) - France's BNP Paribas may abandon its takeover bid for Belgian-based financial group Fortis after a Belgian court last week froze the latter's state-led break-up, Belgian daily Le Soir said on Wednesday.
The paper, citing unnamed sources, said BNP Chief Executive Officer Baudouin Prot told Belgian authorities on Sunday that the bank was 'starting to ask ourselves questions'.
'If we cannot now take the capital of Fortis Bank, we will pull out.'
Officials of BNP Paribas, which is set to hold a shareholder meeting on Friday over the deal, were not immediately available for comment.
The Brussels court suspended the transactions for 65 days and ruled that Fortis shareholders be allowed a say in the breakup of the bank and its takeover by BNP Paribas.
Fortis was carved up by the Dutch, Belgian and Luxembourg governments in October with BNP Paribas buying a majority of the Belgian assets after an 11.2 billion euro ($15.69 billion) cash injection failed to calm nervous investors.
BNP was meant to have closed its deal to buy Fortis assets this month, but Fortis said this week that would be postponed.
The Belgian government plans to appeal against the court ruling.
($1=.7137 Euro)
(Reporting by Anne Jolis; editing by Simon Jessop) Keywords: FORTIS/BNP (anne.jolis@thomsonreuters.com; +32 2 287 6811; Reuters Messaging: anne.jolis.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
The paper, citing unnamed sources, said BNP Chief Executive Officer Baudouin Prot told Belgian authorities on Sunday that the bank was 'starting to ask ourselves questions'.
'If we cannot now take the capital of Fortis Bank, we will pull out.'
Officials of BNP Paribas, which is set to hold a shareholder meeting on Friday over the deal, were not immediately available for comment.
The Brussels court suspended the transactions for 65 days and ruled that Fortis shareholders be allowed a say in the breakup of the bank and its takeover by BNP Paribas.
Fortis was carved up by the Dutch, Belgian and Luxembourg governments in October with BNP Paribas buying a majority of the Belgian assets after an 11.2 billion euro ($15.69 billion) cash injection failed to calm nervous investors.
BNP was meant to have closed its deal to buy Fortis assets this month, but Fortis said this week that would be postponed.
The Belgian government plans to appeal against the court ruling.
($1=.7137 Euro)
(Reporting by Anne Jolis; editing by Simon Jessop) Keywords: FORTIS/BNP (anne.jolis@thomsonreuters.com; +32 2 287 6811; Reuters Messaging: anne.jolis.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.