A Chinese sovereign fund could take a stake in French state-controlled nuclear reactor maker Areva CEPFi.PA., French daily Les Echos reported.

Talks are taking place between Areva and sovereign fund China Investment Corp, the paper said.

An Areva spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

Reuters received an advanced copy of the front page of Les Echos' Friday edition.

Under a long-awaited plan to finance its development needs, Areva said in June it would open up its capital to strategic and industrial partners, to the value of 15 percent, mainly by increasing its capital. (Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, editing by Matthew Lewis)

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