French newspaper Liberation reported earlier that Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) had agreed a deal in April to award 35 percent of Libyan oil to France in exchange for its backing. Reuters saw a copy of the letter.

“I am not aware of these 35 percent but if this was the case we would know about it,” Total Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie said on the sidelines of a business gathering outside Paris.

“Surely there are discussions on energy currently going on but we were not involved in talks that did or did not happen.”

Total had production of 55,000 barrels a day in Libya prior to the six-month war that overthrew Muammar Qaddafi and is set to be among the companies most likely to benefit from a resumption of business in the country.

France hosts an international conference on Libya later on Thursday when NTC leaders will sit down with world powers to discuss the reconstruction of Africa’s third-largest oil producer after Nigeria and Angola.

Total’s de Margerie said the French major had had “contacts” with Libyan officials but had not discussed contracts so far.

“We have only talked about how we can help them restart production as quickly as possible,” de Margerie said.

“What is important for me is to know how we can restart our activity in good safety conditions and within a legal framework that make it possible for us to work there,” he added.

Asked whether Total was among companies shipping oil out of Syria, even though the European Union is soon expected to slap oil sanctions on Damascus after five months of protests to unseat President Bashar Assad, de Margerie said: “There are no oil shipments going out of Syria.”