Norilsk Nickel, the world's largest nickel producer, will support the creation of an "investor pool" if it is necessary to buy out one of its shareholders, Norilsk's General Director Vladimir Strzhalkovsky said on Thursday.
"I think if the opportunity to set up a pool arises, we will support it actively. I am not saying that Norilsk must hold all the stakes, part of it can be sold to the market later," Strzhalkovsky said.
RusAl, owned by Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska, and Interros holding company, controlled by tycoon Vladimir Potanin, have been embroiled in a bitter shareholder row over influence at Norilsk Nickel after RusAl lost one seat on Norilsk's board at the June 28 annual shareholders meeting.
A Kremlin source said earlier this week that the best solution to the conflict would be a sale by one of the shareholders.
Deripaska said he was eager to buy Potanin's stake in Norilsk.
Strzhalkovsky criticized the ongoing row.
"One side is focusing on long-term development, investment and the continuation of social programs. The other side is saying 'give us everything you can immediately.' They are not interested in what will happen tomorrow," he said.
Strzhalkovsky also rejected RusAl's accusations that Norilsk's managers were inefficient, noting that Norilsk Nickel had cut its debt to $3 billion from $6.1 billion in the past 18 months. The remaining part of the debt, worth $800 million, will be redeemed in September-December 2010, he said.
MOSCOW, August 5 (RIA Novosti)
