FRANKFURT, March 7 (Reuters) - Top three Bayer

shareholder Harris Associates on Thursday came out in

strong support of the drugmaker's strategy to suspend work on a

separation of the diversified group and to focus on improving

the company's operating performance.

(CEO) "Bill Anderson is absolutely taking the right path to

enhance value creation at Bayer which will benefit all of

Bayer's stakeholders," Harris Associates' Vice Chairman David

Herro told Reuters in a written statement, responding to a

request for comment on the group's capital markets day this

week.

He said the CEO was rightly focusing on efforts to "turn

three very good businesses into great businesses".

"Once this is accomplished, then you have optionality in

terms of corporate structure," Herro added.