MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti)-Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that he hoped the ring fence around Gazprom shares would be lifted soon to allow foreign investors to buy shares in the natural gas monopoly.
"I hope it [the liberalization] will happen soon," Putin said. "This is in the company' s plans and is a matter for the company," Putin said.
"We [the state] will not interfere. Everything that was done up until now, represented preparation for liberalization."
Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko previously announced that the ring fence would be lifted by the end of the year. Foreigners are currently allowed to own no more than 20% of Gazprom's shares. The company's stock cannot be listed on foreign exchanges.
