The oil industry
A source close to the Government of the Irkutsk Region says that the regional authorities are negotiating the sale of East Siberian Gas Company (VSGK) to Rosneft for 3 billion roubles. VSGK is controlled on the basis of parity by the Irkutsk Region and TNK-BP, its main assets are 5.6% of the shares of Verkhnechonskneftegaz (VChNG, one of the largest oilfields in Eastern Siberia 25.9% of which is owned by Rosneft and 68.4% by TNK-BP) and a 116-km gas pipeline from the Kovykta field to the village of Zhigalovo. Early in the year the Irkutsk authorities put the value of the 5.6% stake in VChNG at 4 billion roubles.
Kommersant's source says the Irkutsk Region has not yet evaluated its share in VSGK. Likewise, it still has not been decided whether the stake would be put up for tender or for auction. The news about the regional authorities' plan to sell a stake in VSGK to Rosneft was confirmed yesterday by Anton Romanov, a deputy of the Irkutsk Region legislature, who had lodged a query on the shares of VChNG belonging to VSGK. "It is now all about price. The parties have not yet reached an agreement on that issue," he added.
But Alexander Vedernikov, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Government, claims that not only Rosneft but TNK-BP are potential buyers. "Negotiations are underway with the two companies. But so far the price does not suit them. The auction will decide everything," he says. Under the privatisation plan approved by the regional State Property Committee, 50% of VSGK shares are to be sold in the fourth quarter of 2009. Both Rosneft and TNK-BP have expressed their desire to buy an extra 5.6% of VChNG shares.
Interfax
Telecommunications
Sistema Is Negotiating with Infineon
AFK Sistema is negotiating the creation of a concern for cooperation on the GLONASS system with the European company Infineon, the head of AFK Sistema, Vladimir Yevtushenkov, said at a meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin yesterday. The organisational scheme of cooperation is currently being designed. The company Infineon, which used to be owned by a division of Siemens, but is now an independent listed company, is the number one producer of car electronics and one of the top three producers of industrial electronics.
IT Companies Promised Support
By Anna Balashova
The Ministry of Telecommunications and Mass Media has proposed measures to support Russian IT companies, Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov told the Government Transport and Communications Commission yesterday. The Ministry proposes to include in Decree No. 427 of the Ministry of Economic Development a group of goods and services connected with the use of computers, our correspondent was told. The decree grants preferences to Russian goods over foreign ones. Besides, the Ministry of Telecommunications and Mass Media has proposed amendments to the law On Placing Orders for the Supply of Goods and Rendering Services for State and Municipal Needs. The Ministry deems it practicable to add "Russian origin" to the list of criteria of evaluating bids. The criteria on the basis of which a product may be recognised as being of "Russian origin" and the software producers can qualify as "Russian" are currently being discussed by the Ministries. The company must be registered on Russian territory, at least 70% of its revenues should come from granting licenses for software and its realisation and have an added value of not less than 80%.