BRUSSELS Belgium AP France's oil giant Total SA took over Belgian petrochemicals company Petrofina SA to create the sixth largest oil company in the world and the third largest in Europe the companies announced Tuesday. The new company will be known as Total Fina and the move was the latest in a series of mergers affecting the global oil market. The new company will be quoted on the Paris Brussels New York and London stock exchanges a Petrofina statement said. Petrofina's stock stood at 14250 francs dlrs 407.9 Friday before it was suspended for Monday's trading. The deal put the value at 19.482 francs dlrs 557.7 a jump in value of over a quarter. The agreement is based on a share swap pact that gives 9 Total Fina shares for 2 Petrofina shares. The move gives Total a controlling stake of 41 percent in Petrofina. A combined general meeting of shareholders has been called for Jan. 14 to approve the agreement. Total said a public offering on the remaining Petrofina shares will follow. The move made Belgian investor Albert Frere who controlled 30 percent of Petrofina shares the biggest shareholder of Total. Petrofina stock has been gaining ground in recent days on rumors that the company was in talks with France's Elf Aquitaine SA Total SA and Italy's ENI SpA. Trading in shares was stopped Monday when a local newspaper broke the news a deal was near. Petrofina which employs some 15000 people worldwide is one of Belgium's biggest industrial companies. It has myriad interests in other enterprises including energy company Electrabel utilities company Tractebel SA holding companies Companie National a Portefeuille Sidro Sofina SA Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA and Electrafina SA. APW19981201.1246.txt.body.html APW19981201.0961.txt.body.html