VILNIUS, October 4 (RIA Novosti, Vladimir Vodo) - The top management of TNK-BP, a Russian-British oil company, will arrive in Lithuania Wednesday to discuss the acquisition of Yukos' share of Mazeikiu nafta oil company, Lithuania's prime minister said Tuesday.
Algirdas Brazauskas said, "...Yukos, rather than Lithuania, will hold talks on the acquisition of 53.7% stake in Mazeikiu nafta with prospective buyers."
Commenting on the attempts of local conservatives to stop LUKoil, Russia's private oil major, from taking over Mazeikiu nafta, Brazauskas said, "...All prospective buyers, including LUKoil, are equal to us."
"What is really important for Lithuania is that the new owner of Mazeikiu nafta ensures the stable performance of the company, uninterrupted supply of oil for refining, and development of the production process," the prime minister said.
He added that the Lithuanian parliament would make the final decision on the Mazeikiu nafta deal.
Yukos International U.K. B.V., a Yukos subsidiary registered in the Netherlands, owns 53.7% in Mazeikiu nafta, and the Lithuanian government, 40.66%.
The prime minister said the Cabinet intended to submit a bill to parliament authorizing a $1.05 billion loan to buy out Yukos' 53.7% in Mazeikiu nafta and re-sell it to a new owner later.
Financial experts, however, pegged the market price of Yukos' stake in the company at $1.5-$2 billion.
Mazeikiu nafta includes the Mazeikiu refinery, an oil terminal in Buting, and the Birzu naftotiekis oil-pipeline company.
