MTS negotiating alliance with major world telecoms - Yevtushenkov
MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) - Russian 'big-3' telecommunications operator OJSC Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is negotiating the creation of an alliance with a number of leading international telecoms, the owner of AFK Sistema , which controls MTS, Vladimir Yevtushenkov, has told the press.
Yevtushenkov did not identify the companies with which MTS is talking, saying that reporters ought to look at the top ten world players.
At the economic forum in Davos last week, Yevtushenkov said that MTS is aiming to become one of the "top 5" largest world telecommunications operators.
Earlier, Sistema representatives revealed that the company was negotiating with Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris over the acquisition of assets that was agreed by Vimpelcom last autumn. But the terms for a deal were unsatisfactory.