"In fact, another petroleum major is born," the federal Industry and Energy Minister said with reference to a Gasprom/Rosneft merger, which gave rise to the Gaspromneft, a petroleum producing company within the Gasprom gas export monopoly.
"That is the point from which we ought to regard petroleum asset acquisition through auctioning," said Mr. Khristenko when asked whether he deemed it expedient for the Gaspromneft to purchase the Yugansk.
"It is essential to see just how such transactions are arranged, and what assets and capital sources they imply," he added.
The Gaspromneft is determined to bid in an upcoming Yugansk auction, company president Sergei Bogdanchikov announced today.
"It is up to the Gasprom Directors' Board. We shall apply quite soon if the board agrees," he said to the media. There is ample time to apply, the auction due December 19, added Bogdanchikov.
If the Gaspromneft wins the auction, it will reckon with Yukos holders' rights, reassured the boss.
Meanwhile, the Moscow Arbitration Court of Appeal has turned down repeated Yukos appeals as a lower-instance court refused to suspend Federal Taxation Service resolutions to collect the drowning mammoth's back taxes for 2001.
The Service appointed its total claim for the year at 119.9 billion roubles, September 2. A separate demand came four days later for another 79.4 billion-fiscal arrears plus fines. In addition, a 40.6 billion penalty was to be collected by the law court, as the Russian fiscal legislation has it. (The Central Bank rate for today is R28.15/US$1.)
The Yukos initially appealed against the September 6 claim alone, later on to dispute the September 2 as well. The Arbitration Court turned down both, October. The court of appeal approved the verdicts today.
