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No potential buyers of TeliaSonera's Eurasian shares yet (exclusive)

Economy Materials 17 September 2015 17:54 (UTC +04:00)
TeliaSonera has no potential buyers for its assets in the Eurasian region yet, where the company has decided to gradually phase out its activity
No potential buyers of TeliaSonera's Eurasian shares yet (exclusive)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17

By Huseyn Valiyev - Trend:

TeliaSonera has no potential buyers for its assets in the Eurasian region yet, where the company has decided to gradually phase out its activity, Ulviyya Hasanzade, TeliaSonera Eurasia Vice President for Corporate Communications, told Trend Sept. 17.

Hasanzade said that TeliaSonera starts gradual phasing out its activity in the region.

"At present, it is difficult to speculate on this topic as there are no potential buyers yet," Hasanzade said by commenting on the sale of TeliaSonera's share in the Azerbaijani mobile operator.

However, the message of the state body of Turkey to inform the public (Kamuoyunu Aydınlatma Platformu - KAP) released Sept.16 said that the Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has started work on the acquisition of 58.55 percent of TeliaSonera's shares in Fintur Holdings B.V. due to business expansion of Turkcell in the region.

Hasanzade said that TeliaSonera's withdrawal from Azerbaijan will not affect the activities of the mobile operator of the country, Azercell Telecom.

Fintur Holdings B. V., in which TeliaSonera owns 58.55 percent, has a share in the Azercell Telecom company. Currently, the Turkish company Azertel Telekomunikasyon Yatirim Dis Ticaret A.S. is the 100 percent shareholder of Azercell, which is part of Fintur Holdings BV.

Hassanzade said that Azercell intends to continue its activity on the Azerbaijani market.

Ministry of communications and high technologies of Azerbaijan told Trend that an official request regarding TeliaSonera's withdrawal from the market has not yet been received at the ministry.

TeliaSonera International Carrier reduces its presence in Azerbaijan, said the message of the company published Sept.17.

The company will increase its focus in Europe, particularly in Sweden within its new strategy and will reduce its presence in region Eurasia, i.e. Nepal, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Tajikistan, said the company.

TeliaSonera plans to fully leave the region Eurasia over time, according to the message.

"The process to reduce presence in region Eurasia has started, however, at this stage it is not possible to estimate how long this will take," the message said. "At the same time the shaping of new TeliaSonera is well under way."

TeliaSonera's revenues in Azerbaijani market dropped by 1.2 percent in 2014 compared to 2013, said the company's report. Its net revenues from the sales also decreased from 3.824 billion Swedish kronas (SEK) to 3.778 billion SEK in 2014 compared to 2013, according to the report.

The official exchange rate on Sept.17 is 0.127 AZN/SEK.
Azercell's subscriber base reached 4.179 million as of H1 of 2015, or 6.2 percent more than in the same period of 2014, according to TeliaSonera.

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