PARIS, Sept 23 - French Finance Minister Francis Mer said on Tuesday he hoped France's 2004 budget edficit would be slightly under 3.7 percent of gross domestic product. Asked to comment on media reports that this week's 2004 budget announcement would be based on a deficit forecast of 3.7 percent of GDP for next year, he told Europe 1: "We hope we can do better than that...That is, a bit lower."//