UC RusAl, the world's top aluminum producer, will continue its battle for board seats and influence at Russia's largest metals company Norilsk Nickel and will seek the replacement of Norilsk's top management, RusAl said on Tuesday.

"The situation can only be settled through the appointment of an independent professional management team that will apply the highest standards of corporate governance and will be able to propose an action plan to raise the company's capitalization in the interests of all of its shareholders," RusAl said in a statement.

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.

RusAl now has only three seats, whilst Interros has kept four seats. Both companies own a 25 percent stake in Norilsk Nickel each.

Norilsk Nickel appointed Andrei Klishas, vice president of Interros, as Norilsk's president on August 2 in a move seen by analysts as the consolidation of Potanin's influence at Norilsk.

Norilsk Nickel's board of directors announced on Tuesday the establishment of a reconciliation commission to settle the dispute. RusAl, however, rejected the move, saying the decision was outside the board's competence.

RusAl says it will seek a new shareholders' meeting in the fall to re-elect the board.

MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti)