Seven French banks seek 5 bln euros in state loans

PARIS (Reuters) - Seven French banks have requested a total of 5 billion euros ($6.4 billion) in loans from a state refinancing vehicle, the refinancing body's chief said on Friday.

Michel Camdessus, who heads the vehicle that was set up as part of the French government's response to the financial crisis, did not name the banks or give a breakdown.

"The first 5 billion have been requested by a certain number of banks ... There are already seven but we are ready, within the next few days, to launch a new operation to serve other firms that are talking to us," Camdessus told France Info radio.

The refinancing vehicle was set up to guarantee bank debt issued before the end of 2009 for a duration of up to five years, for a total of 320 billion euros. President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he doubted that limit would be reached.

Camdessus said the vehicle had borrowed money from the Caisse des Depots et Consignations, a publicly owned savings bank at the heart of the state's financial operations in the economy, to have it ready for the banks quickly.

He said the Caisse des Depots would be reimbursed before the end of the year, when the refinancing vehicle was technically up and running.

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by David Stamp)