"Our common goal: A deal between France and Italy for the September 27 summit," Le Maire wrote on Twitter, referring to a forthcoming meeting of French and Italian ministers in the French city of Lyon.

An Italian Treasury source said Monday's talks had been a very useful step towards finding a solution to the dispute.

France angered Italy in July after it ordered a "temporary" nationalisation of STX, cancelling a deal in which state-owned Fincantieri and another Italian investor had agreed to buy a 54.6 percent stake.