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French trains 'hit by sabotage' French trains 'hit by sabotage'
(about 11 hours later)
France's high-speed TGV rail network has been damaged by a "concerted campaign of sabotage", the SNCF state-owned rail operator has said.France's high-speed TGV rail network has been damaged by a "concerted campaign of sabotage", the SNCF state-owned rail operator has said.
It said acts of sabotage overnight, including fires, caused huge delays to TGV services already hit by a long transport union strike over reforms. It said acts of sabotage overnight, including fires, caused huge delays to TGV services already hit by a transport union strike in its eighth day.
The SNCF blamed militants for the attacks, saying they wanted to harm ongoing talks to end the strike. President Nicolas Sarkozy said culprits would be severely punished. Union leaders also condemned the attacks.
President Nicolas Sarkozy said the saboteurs would be severely punished. The sabotage came as three-way talks opened in a bid to end the strike.
Managers from SNCF and the Paris metro operator RATP were meeting unions and government representatives to try to reach a compromise on reforms to transport workers' pensions.
The government has vowed not to back down on its core proposals.
Map: France's TGV networkMap: France's TGV network
Fires
In a statement, the SNCF said there had been "several acts" occurring "at the same time" on lines running north, west, east and south-east out of Paris.
This is ludicrous! They are all a bunch of lazy people, and I am personally both enraged and ashamed at their behaviour! Sophie PradereParis resident French strikes: Your reaction In pictures: Train 'sabotage' Sarkozy: 'Thatcher moment'?This is ludicrous! They are all a bunch of lazy people, and I am personally both enraged and ashamed at their behaviour! Sophie PradereParis resident French strikes: Your reaction In pictures: Train 'sabotage' Sarkozy: 'Thatcher moment'?
In a statement, the SNCF said there had been "several acts" occurring "at the same time" on lines in the north, east and south-west of the country.
It said these included a "very large" fire on the TGV's Atlantic branch that damaged signals affecting 30km (18 miles) of track.It said these included a "very large" fire on the TGV's Atlantic branch that damaged signals affecting 30km (18 miles) of track.
Union officials deplored the attacks as acts of vandalism, warning that they put people's safety at risk. At a cabinet meeting, President Sarkozy ordered the justice and interior ministers to investigate, vowing to punish the perpetrators "with the utmost severity", Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau told France 2 TV.
The open-ended rail strike is over planned changes to the pension system by President Nicolas Sarkozy. Union officials also deplored the attacks as acts of vandalism by "cowards", warning that they put people's safety at risk.
Mr Sarkozy has vowed to press on with the reforms. Bernard Thibault, chief of the powerful CGT union, suggested the acts could have aimed to discredit the strike movement.
'No budging''No budging'
The TGV network was targeted several hours after French Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand said he hoped that talks between rail unions and the government would help end the strike. The TGV network was targeted several hours after French Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand said he hoped that conciliation talks would help end the strike.
'SPECIAL' PENSIONS SYSTEM Benefits 1.6m workers, including 1.1m retireesApplies in 16 sectors, of which rail and utilities employees make up 360,000 peopleAccount for 6% of total state pension paymentsShortfall costs state 5bn euros (£3.5bn; $6.9bn) a yearSome workers can retire on full pensions aged 50Awarded to Paris Opera House workers in 1698 by Louis XIV Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis France's workplace anger'SPECIAL' PENSIONS SYSTEM Benefits 1.6m workers, including 1.1m retireesApplies in 16 sectors, of which rail and utilities employees make up 360,000 peopleAccount for 6% of total state pension paymentsShortfall costs state 5bn euros (£3.5bn; $6.9bn) a yearSome workers can retire on full pensions aged 50Awarded to Paris Opera House workers in 1698 by Louis XIV Can street protests succeed? Solidarity amid French crisis France's workplace anger
The talks opened on Wednesday.The talks opened on Wednesday.
"I think the conditions are there for everyone to get out of it honourably," Mr Bertrand was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency."I think the conditions are there for everyone to get out of it honourably," Mr Bertrand was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
President Sarkozy also urged the protesters to go back to work now that negotiations were beginning.President Sarkozy also urged the protesters to go back to work now that negotiations were beginning.
"Everyone must ask whether it is right to continue a strike which has already cost users - and strikers - so dear. "Everyone must ask whether it is right to continue a strike which has already cost users - and strikers - so dear."
"I think of those millions of French people who after a day of work have no bus, metro or train to take them home and who are tired of being used as hostages."
The government has said there could be incentives of salary rises and a top-up scheme for pensions.The government has said there could be incentives of salary rises and a top-up scheme for pensions.
But it has stressed that there will be no budging on the core issue of eliminating special pensions which allow 500,000 transport and utility workers to retire early.But it has stressed that there will be no budging on the core issue of eliminating special pensions which allow 500,000 transport and utility workers to retire early.
Didier Le Rester of France's General Labour Confederation has predicted that the negotiations could last up to a month.Didier Le Rester of France's General Labour Confederation has predicted that the negotiations could last up to a month.
Commuter havocCommuter havoc
Before the latest incidents, SNCF had estimated there would be slightly improved rail services on Wednesday as the number of strikers steadily declined.Before the latest incidents, SNCF had estimated there would be slightly improved rail services on Wednesday as the number of strikers steadily declined.
Paris transport operator RATP said about 25% of its metro trains would be running. SNCF now claims that only 23% of its staff remain on strike.
The week of strikes has caused havoc for millions of commuters across France.The week of strikes has caused havoc for millions of commuters across France.
Businesses have started complaining that the strikes are hurting their operations.Businesses have started complaining that the strikes are hurting their operations.
Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France up to 400m euros (£290m) a day.Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said the dispute was costing France up to 400m euros (£290m) a day.
On Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of civil servants joined striking transport and energy workers over what they say is an erosion in their earnings and proposals to slim France's large public sector.
But Mr Sarkozy said reforms were overdue and that they were necessary "to confront the challenges set by the world". "We will not surrender and we will not retreat," he said.
TGV ROUTES Very large fire reported to have damaged signal equipment affecting 30km of track on the Atlantic lineSignal switches in the South East and East lines reported to have been sabotagedFire reported to have damaged signal cables affecting the North lineTGV ROUTES Very large fire reported to have damaged signal equipment affecting 30km of track on the Atlantic lineSignal switches in the South East and East lines reported to have been sabotagedFire reported to have damaged signal cables affecting the North line
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