Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ANKARA: Petkim Handover To Azeris To Be Completed By May 7

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • ANKARA: Petkim Handover To Azeris To Be Completed By May 7

    PETKIM HANDOVER TO AZERIS TO BE COMPLETED BY MAY 7

    Today's Zaman
    March 28 2008
    Turkey

    The transfer of 51 percent of Turkey's largest petrochemicals
    producer Petkim to Azeri consortium SOCAR-Turcas-Injaz is expected
    to be completed by May 7.

    Erdal Aksoy, the chairman of Turcas, one of the companies in the
    consortium, said alternatives for the payment in the Petkim sale
    were being evaluated and that a final decision on payment would be
    announced before April 14.

    Referring to the numerous lawsuits that were filed during the
    privatization process, Aksoy told the Anatolia news agency that he was
    not worried about the handover and that grievances should be addressed
    to the Privatization Administration (OÝB). The Petroleum, Chemicals
    and Rubber Workers Union (Petrol-Ýþ) had previously appealed several
    times to the Council of State against the privatization of Petkim and
    its sale to the SOCAR-Turcas-Injaz consortium. The Council of State
    rejected these appeals, with the latest rejection coming as recently
    as last Tuesday.

    Aksoy emphasized that Petkim would contribute positively to the
    Turkish economy after the handover and added that it also plays an
    important role in Turkish industrial exports.

    According to Aksoy, projections and plans for Petkim will be shared
    with employees, unions and other affected parties. "But for now we
    [Turcas] have not been authorized to talk about them," he said,
    adding that they would inform the public after the handover.

    Aksoy had previously said their investment program for Petkim
    forecasts $10 billion in investments within seven to eight years and
    the construction of two power plants in addition to an upgrade of the
    main facility. He had also said Petkim would get a 40 percent share
    in the domestic market.

    Azerbaijan's SOCAR-Turcas-Injaz consortium submitted the second
    best bid in the tender, held on July 5, for the block sale of a 51
    percent state-owned stake in Petkim. Kazakhstan's TransCentralAsia
    Petrochemical Holding consortium had outbid all of its five rivals
    by offering to pay $2.05 billion. The Azeri consortium withdrew from
    open bidding after announcing its final offer of $2.04 billion. After
    the tender, the Kazakh consortium was accused of being supported by
    the Armenian diaspora, and a commission overseeing the privatization
    of Turkey's petrochemicals monopoly Petkim decided to exclude the bid
    submitted by it, accepting the offer from the Azeri consortium instead.

    --Boundary_(ID_MDYn+Xe74meIN1G5uPPosw)--

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X