ITALY'S SME IN VENTURE TALKS WITH FOREIGN FIRMS
State-owned food company <Societa
Meridionale Finanziaria Spa - SME> is discussing possible share
exchanges and joint ventures with Unilever PLC-NV <UN.A> and
Swiss firm Jacobs Suchard AG <JACZ.Z>, a SME parent company
spokesman said.
    A spokesman for state holding company <Istituto Per La
Ricostruzioni Industriale - IRI>, which controls SME, said the
talks were centered on "possible swaps of minority stakes and
production collaboration."
    He declined to say if SME was close to an accord with one
or both of the foreign firms.
 Reuter
