"A meeting [between Sechin and Hayward] took place [on Thursday]. During the meeting Igor Sechin said that the state has no plans to interfere in the TNK-BP shareholders conflict," a government source said.
Russian billionaire shareholders in the oil venture demanded last month that TNK-BP long-time CEO Robert Dudley step down, accusing him of putting the interests of BP first. They were reported to be seeking to replace him with Russian tycoon and TNK-BP's executive director Viktor Vekselberg. BP rejected calls for Dudley's dismissal.
Vekselberg said on Friday at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg that he expected TNK-BP shareholders to reach a preliminary agreement and move closer to resolving the conflict in the next few days.
Founded in 2003, the Russian-British venture TNK-BP, Russia's third-largest oil producer, is jointly owned by BP and Russia's consortium AlfaAccessRenova (AAR). The consortium, representing Russian investors Alfa Group, Access Industries and Renova holds 50% in the energy company.
The Russian-British oil venture has come under intense pressure from the Russian authorities this year. In March the Federal Security Service raided the company's headquarters and the Moscow office of BP, and carried out new searches at BP last week. In March a TNK-BP employee was arrested on suspicion of industrial espionage.
Analysts say the ongoing dispute between Russian and British shareholders could lead to the company being bought up by a Russian state giant, most likely Gazprom but possibly Rosneft.
