"It is hard to say if the merger will be completed this year or next year," Mr. Gref said Tuesday night at a briefing after the signing of the protocol on the completion of bilateral talks with South Korea on Russia's entry into the WTO.
"It is possible to try to complete [the merger] this year," he added.
According to him, there are many technical procedures which have to be completed and these procedures have not been determined yet.
"We do not know now how the companies will merge," Mr. Gref said.
He refused to comment on reports that after the merger, the assets of Yuganskneftegaz (Yukos' main production company) would be transferred to the newly established company.
"I cannot comment on what I do not know and do not suppose," Mr. Gref said. "I do not comment on rumors."
He noted that it would be possible to start liberalizing the Gazprom stock market only after the completion of the merger of Gazprom and Rosneft.
He said that currently it was difficult to say when Western investors would be in a position to directly purchase Gazprom stock.
Head of Gazprom Alexei Miller earlier stated that the exchange of Gazprom stock for shares of Rosneft, as a result of which the state's share in Gazprom would increase to 50% plus one share, was the first stage of the liberalization of the Gazprom stock market.
"We are interested in the shortest liberalization period," Mr. Miller said. "We will do our best to work as quickly as possible."
"It is a decision which is directed at developing the Russian stock market," Mr. Miller said. "The decision [on increasing the state's stake in Gazprom] is a signal to the market that the state considers Gazprom to be a system-forming enterprise."
He said that shares would be exchanged based on market principles and in the interests of all shareholders.
