MOSCOW, August 3 (RIA Novosti) - Aeroflot [RTS: AFLT] and Svyazinvest could be privatized next year, Russia's economic development and trade minister said Thursday.
German Gref said the flagship air carrier and the telecommunications giant were among 1,600 state-owned companies slated for privatization in 2007.
Before they could be privatized, however, the minister said both Svyazinvest and Aeroflot would have to be taken off the government's list of strategic enterprises, which also includes defense, mining and other companies deemed key to Russia's national security and therefore off limits to foreign investors.
Gref said next year's privatization campaign would bring 41 billion rubles ($1.53 billion) into the treasury coffers.
