No Port Of Call

Steeling itself against baron Laxmi Mittal’s bid to take over Arcelor, France has seen it fit to cede ground to India on another issue—by ordering the recall of its decommissioned warship Clemenceau. On Wednesday, France’s apex court ordered suspension of the transfer of the asbestos-laden aircraft carrier. The decision comes just ahead of French President Jacques Chirac’s trip to India. The SC here too was considering whether to let in the ghost vessel that left Toulon for Alang shipyard in Gujarat but was kept waiting at sea the past few weeks. Now, whichever way Paris turns on Luxembourg-based Arcelor in its ongoing boardroom battle—28,500 French jobs would be affected if India-born Mittal emerges the victor—green lobbies have won a famous victory in the bargain.