French President's Office Calls AXA To Discuss Unit Sale -Report

President Nicolas Sarkozy's office has summoned insurance company AXA SA (CS.FR) officials for a meeting Monday to discuss the planned sale of its unit AXA Private Equity, La Tribune reports Friday.

The meeting will take place one day before the deadline for bidders to submit their offers, the newspaper reports without citing sources.

Officials at AXA and Sarkozy's office weren't immediately available for comment.

According to the report, the meeting follows a request from French investment company Eurazeo (RF.FR), which is interested in AXA Private Equity, valued by people close to the matter between GBP200 million and GBP300 million.

Eurazeo intends to use the argument that is in the country's strategic interest to obtain government support for its bid, La Tribune reports.

U.S. funds Carlyle and KKR as well as the Singapore sovereign fund are also eyeing AXA's unit, La Tribune reports. The Financial Times reported on its website Thursday evening that U.S.-based BlackRock Inc. (BLK) is also interested.

Newspaper website: www.latribune.fr

-By Paris Bureau, Dow Jones Newswires; 33-1-4017 1769; [e-mail]