UPDATE: Deputy PM: Russia not to initiate sanctioned cos’ nationalization

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MOSCOW, Apr 25 (PRIME) -- The Russian authorities will not initiate nationalization of any companies blacklisted by the U.S. and are not discussing this step for aluminum producer RUSAL, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich told reporters on Wednesday.

“As far as I know, we will not. Since this is an option possible only if the owners of the companies (ask to). We will not offer this in any case,” Dvorkovich said.

The government is are considering various forms of support for RUSAL, including evergreen loans.

On Monday, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said that the U.S. can lift sanctions against RUSAL if businessman Oleg Deripaska cedes control.

Head of the Federal Antimonopoly Service Igor Artemyev said that possible nationalization of Russian aluminum producer RUSAL would be temporary and at market prices.

“It is important for Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska to receive a fair price if it (nationalization) is carried out. But I think that the experience of TNK-BP or any similar large sales when state companies acquired (the privatized entities), showed it is done at market prices,” Artemyev said.

Artemyev said that the U.S. might retain the sanctions against RUSAL after nationalization, the sanctions will be applied against Russia as a state.

The government may offer the existing shareholders to acquire a part of the RUSAL stake instead of buying a controlling stake from Deripaska, he said.

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