GERMAN FIRM EXPANDS OIL STAKE IN EGYPT

LONDON [MENL] -- A German-based subsidiary has acquired a larger stake in anenergy exploration project off the Egyptian coast of the westernMediterranean. RWE DEA AG, the Hamburg-based subsidiary of German utility RWE, hassigned an agreement to acquire from BP Egypt an additional 6.667 percentparticipating interest in the deepwater portion of the West Mediterranean,called the Block I concession. Executives said the concession encompasses31,200 sq kilometers within the Nile Delta and is subject to Egyptiangovernment approval.