Alstom mulling Rolls Royce tie-up

PARIS (Reuters) - French engineering group Alstom (ALSO.PA) is mulling a tie-up with engine maker Rolls-Royce Group (RR.L), according to the French business daily Les Echos.

Building closer ties with Rolls Royce is one of the options being considered by Alstom in case it fails to tie up with French nuclear energy group Areva (CEPFi.PA), Les Echos said in an unsourced report which was made available late on Sunday and is to be published on Monday.

Alstom or Rolls Royce could not be reached for comment.

The daily said French President Nicolas Sarkozy would have to give the Rolls Royce option his blessing and could make a decision before the summer.

But the paper also said that many options remained open for now.

(Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)