Spie may delay RI deal

Spie may delay RI deal

PARIS (Reuters): A senior executive with construction firm Spie Batignolles was quoted yesterday as saying a three billion franc contract in Indonesia may be delayed due to economic problems, but he did not expect it to be cancelled.

"This contract has an obvious economic justification, so we are not worried about it being questioned," financial director Olivier Dubois was quoted on Monday as saying in financial daily La Tribune.

"But a delay is possible," he said.

The paper did not say to what contract Dubois was referring nor what length of delay he saw as possible.

Officials at the company were not immediately available for comment.

Dubois also told the paper he believes the impact of the crisis has so far been underestimated and that its effects on Western economies will quickly become evident.