The French government may allow Gulf states' sovereign wealth funds to take minority stakes in the nuclear giant Areva, according to media reports.

The Financial Times said exploratory talks have been held on offering stakes of one to five per cent to the funds - state agencies that manage billions of dollars in oil and has revenue.

Areva, the world's biggest builder of nuclear reactors, needs fresh capital to maintain a strong position in a global revival of the industry and President Nicolas Sarkozy has ordered a review of its future.

Investment from partners in the UAE and Saudi Arabia could also help Areva strengthen its standing in a region that is interested in developing nuclear energy.

Areva, which is also involved in uranium mining and recycling nuclear waste, is facing pressure to find new capital sources after Germany's Siemens decided to pull out of a joint venture with it in January.