Chirac condemns Ajaccio attack

French President Jacques Chirac condemned Friday the rocket attack at the main government building in Corsica's capital of Ajaccio, French news channel TF1 reported.

There were no casualties in the incident.

The French island of Corsica was blockaded till Friday evening as a bitter dispute over privatization of the debt-burdened state- owned ferry company National Corsica Mediterranean Company (SNCM) led to strikes and even violence between police and protesters.

Hundreds of tourists were delayed on the Mediterranean island, and France's largest port of Marseille was paralysed as well as some ports of Corsica.

No passenger or cargo ship has been able to dock at the Corsican seaports of Bastia and Ajaccio since Tuesday, and on Friday the STC called groundstaff at the cities' airports out on strike -- leading to delays and cancellations.

French government suggested Thursday a new sell-off deal under which the state would keep 25 percent of the company. Private investment firm Butler would take over 70 percent and later sell 30 percent to Connex, the transport subsidiary of French utilities services group Veolia Environnement, and SNCM workers would control the remaining five percent of the stock.

Late Friday, four leaders of the pro-nationalist Union of Corsican Workers (STC) arrested on Wednesday after hijacking a ship belonging to SNCM were released, a possible sign of appeasement to demonstrators who had thronged the streets of Ajaccio.

French government is now facing another challenge on Oct. 4 as the country's main trade unions have called a nationwide day of strikes to protest against his government's economic policies.

Source: Xinhua