By Muriel Boselli
PARIS (Reuters) - Protesting port workers and fishermenblocked harbours and fuel depots along France's coastline onTuesday in two separate disputes that are proving a headachefor President Nicolas Sarkozy to resolve.
Port workers, angry over government plans to privatise partof the ports' activities, staged a one-day strike at thecountry's largest oil hub, Fos-Lavera near Marseille, stopping13 oil tankers from entering according to port authorities.
Skirmishes broke out between strikers and police who triedto stop them from approaching Marseille city hall. The workersthrew bottles and stones at police who fired back tear gas.
Fishermen also shut off roads leading to Fos-Lavera andblockaded around 20 ports on the Mediterranean, Channel andAtlantic seaboards as well as at least five fuel depots.
The fishermen, who staged similar protests last year, wantgovernment help to cushion the effects of surging marine fuelprices that have eaten away their profit margins.
The government announced a three-year aid package forfishermen worth 310 million euros (246.8 million pounds) inJanuary but Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier said Francestill needed European Union permission for some of the plannedaid.
"The tools I have prepared to help the fishermen must beapproved by Brussels. It's essential," Barnier told RTL radio.He is due to meet fishermen's representatives on Wednesday.
He met officials in Brussels on Monday to discuss aid plansand the EU Commission said it was examining the proposals.
President Nicolas Sarkozy said the government had pledged53 million euros to help fishermen this year of which 30million had already been disbursed.
However, he appeared less conciliatory towards the strikingport workers, insisting that the government privatisation drivewould boost the ports.
"All the world's major ports are developing theiractivities while ours are losing ground," Sarkozy said. "I willpress ahead with the reform of the ports and I will press aheadwithout faltering because it is in the interests of the Frencheconomy."
Work at French state-run ports is strictly divided betweenprivate sector cargo handlers and public sector authorities whomanage infrastructure including the loading cranes.
Sarkozy said crane workers put in just 2,000 hours a yearin Marseille, against 4,000 hours for similar employees inSpain's Barcelona or Anvers in Belgium.
Oil giant Total said its refineries were operating normallybecause they were well-supplied and the disruptions atFos-Lavera were sporadic.
"The strikes and blockade have not affected our operationsfor the moment," a spokesman said.
(Additional reporting by Jean-Francois Rosnoblet inMarseille, Paris and Brussels bureaux, writing by EstelleShirbon, editing by Crispian Balmer)
