The French government has no reason todoubt the European Airbus consortium's assessment that its A340
long-range jet project has a sound commercial basis, French
Trade Minister Michel Noir said .
    Airbus announced last Friday that it had 104 firm orders
and options from nine airlines for its A340 long-range and A330
medium-range jet projects.
    "If Airbus finds an initial cushion of around one hundred
aircraft satisfactory, we have no reason to contradict them,"
Noir told journalists.
 Reuter
