MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's state-owned oil company Rosneft is prepared to study all offers to buy new assets, the company's CEO said on Wednesday.
"We have always said that we are studying all assets," Sergei Bogdanchikov said in response to a question about whether Rosneft was interested in an offer from France's Total to buy refining stations in Europe.
Bogdanchikov added, however, that Total's offer was addressed to the whole market rather than specifically to Rosneft. The Rosneft CEO also said that the company was considering involving partners, both domestic and foreign, in the construction of a refinery at the final point of the East Siberia - Pacific oil pipeline in the Russian Far East.
Bogdanchikov also said he supported the Russian government's plans to eventually sell its stake in Rosneft, adding that such decision should be taken along with the sale of the 9.4% share package owned by Rosneft.
Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Tuesday the Russian government could sell its stakes in some companies next year to replenish the budget and will offer large share packages of state corporations in the longer term.
Kudrin said the sale could involve state-run VTB bank, Russia's second largest bank in terms of capitalization, oil companies and state share packages in other sectors, in particular, telecommunications and the aviation industry.
Rosneft became Russia's largest oil producer after acquiring most of the assets of bankrupt oil firm Yukos through liquidation auctions in 2007.