Word: matra
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According to the U.S. Congressional Research Service, France ranked second only to the Soviet Union in arms orders from the Third World in 1984. Marcel de Picciotto, vice president of Matra, a French arms company, says that "any country that doesn't want to have its strings pulled by Washington and Moscow can come here without fear of meddling." But French government officials bristle at charges that the trade is opportunistic, or that they put weapons in the hands of radical governments. Says Francois Heisbourg, a former adviser to the Defense Ministry: "This country could probably be making several billion...
...land the contract to upgrade the Saudi navy, beating out competitive bids by the British and Italians. France argues that it provides Third World customers with an alternative to superpower suppliers. "Nations can buy from us and still maintain their independence," says an official of the missile maker Matra, which exports 75% of its production...
While Americans have picked up the European habit of dabbling in gold, the French have been buying such hot securities as Engins Matra, whose products range from sports cars to armaments, up a sizzling 605% since 1977; pop radio station Europe No. 1, up 72%; chemical giant Rhóne-Poulenc, up 149%; and food producer BSN-Gervais Danone...
...Pleased. At times Brezhnev's manner turned into downright discourtesy. On past state visits Brezhnev, known as a car buff, had received an automobile as a present. This time the French decided to give him not one, but two: a Matra Simca Bagheera sports model and a Matra Rancho cross-country station wagon. But the new Soviet President was not pleased with the color of the trim on the wagon's seats (tan) and its exterior (green). Mortified French officials rushed the vehicle back to its manufacturer, where assemblymen worked frantically on reupholstery (brown) and a new paint...
...trophy the Porsche team dearly wanted to win -a feat they had never accomplished in 19 years of trying. The Ford GT-40s were not competing, but Ferrari, which handed Porsche its lone defeat this year at Sebring, Fla., was strongly represented, as were Alfa Romeo and Matra-Simca. As it happened, the cars might have made a better showing if they had been equipped with water wings instead of wheels...