I would like to make two comments for consideration. First, Bishop Fellay may well be in a bind as he has pushed for greater links with the Church and an election is coming up soon, I believe. This puts him in a tough spot to some degree and this may be a political move on his part. That is, the SSPX in France has put things on hold as Caroline has pointed out.
Second, we must observe what is happening in France, the Mother of the Church in Europe (via the Holy Roman Empire). The French N.O. Church is so depleted that "outrider priests" appear every third Sunday or so and say Mass for congregations as small as only a few people. Since the French government technically owns the Churches, and as Muslim congregations are growing, there is precedent for turning over Catholic Churches to Muslims for the purpose of forming mosques. The SSPX has a very large following in France. There are many priests in their seminaries and the congregations are large and growing. In considering Cardinals for France, the head of the French Episcopal Conference was chosen by Pope Benedict over the Archbishop of Paris. The Burgundian Cardinal is known to be highly sympathetic to the SSPX since they are still Catholic!
The Holy Father does not wish to "lose" France as he re-evangelizes Europe. Many countries are almost beyond help including perhaps Italy. I would not put too much stead in anything being said now as it is pure posturing. Europe must be preserved and this Pope knows that.
F
Do you have some evidence for that assertion? According to their website, SSPX has a grand total of 35 "priories" in France. Hardly "very large."