"We need international champions in Europe that are able to compete globally", he told Reuters on the sidelines of the DLD technology conference in Munich.

"Talks are in an important phase and we will do everything so that this project has a chance", he said.

(Reporting by Doug Busvine, writing by Tassilo Hummel; editing by Thomas Seythal)

Stocks treated in this article : Alstom, Siemens