Wed, 23:31 14 Oct 2009 GMT17

 

French consulate in Gabon oil hub torched -ministry
03 Sep 2009 15:41:49 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds details)

PARIS, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Protesters torched the French consulate in the oil city of Port Gentil in Gabon after disputed election results were announced, the French foreign ministry said on Thursday.

A ministry spokeswoman, quoting Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, also said some facilities owned by French oil firm Total <TOTF.PA> and U.S. oil field services firm Schlumberger <SLB.N> had also been attacked. She had no further details.

Earlier, a Total spokeswoman in Paris said at least two Total fuel stations in Port Gentil had been looted and vandalised, while protesters had come close to a Total compound but had not damaged it.

The Total spokeswoman had no information about any disruption to output. There was no immediate comment available from Sclumberger.

Ali Ben Bongo, son of long-time ruler Omar Bongo, was declared the winner of the presidential poll earlier on Thursday. After the announcement, soldiers and opposition supporters clashed in the streets of the capital Libreville.

French residents in Port Gentil have been advised to remain at home, Kouchner was quoted as saying by the ministry spokewoman. Long-established evacuation procedures are in place but there was no order to evacuate at present.

The embassy in Libreville is in contact with the French community in Port Gentil to monitor the situation.

France, Gabon's former colonial ruler, maintains a permanent military presence in Libreville. There was no word on whether French troops planned to take any action in light of Thursday's unrest. (Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Crispian Balmer)
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