BRUSSELS, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Discussions on the proposedmerger between aerospace firms EADS and BAEhave moved forward, but the companies must decide whether enoughprogress has been made, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves leDrian said on Tuesday.
He said officials from BAE and EADS, which must decide byWednesday whether to seek more time from British stock marketregulators, would meet soon to decide whether to seek anextension.
"We had made a lot of progress, I think, but have weprogressed enough? That is up to those who initiated the projectto say," he told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of NATOdefence ministers in Brussels.
The approaches of the French, British and German governmentsat the start were different, he said.
"They have moved noticeably closer together but have theymoved closed enough for the companies to think it is worth(asking for) an extension? That is up to them to say," he said.
(Reporting by Adrian Croft; Editing by Sebastian Moffett)
((adrian.croft@thomsonreuters.com))
Keywords: EADS/FRANCE