Soyuzneftexport denationalized
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MOSCOW. Oct 24 (Interfax) - Soyuzneftexport, the major Soviet foreign trade organization which until recently has held a monopoly on the export of oil and oil products, has announced its transformation into an independent Russian oil company Nafta Moskva.
The company told Interfax that the decision had been taken unanimously at a staff meeting on Wednesday. Nafta Moskva is a closed joint stock company.
Soyuzneftexport, which employed about 250 people in Moscow and other Soviet ports and dozens of Soviet and foreign staff at subsidiaries abroad, will export about 80 million tonnes of oil and oil products in 1991, roughly 90% of the total volume of exports expected from the USSR. In a press release the former Soyuzneftexport company declared that the new firm was prepared to "fulfil tasks stemming from international agreements" and forge agreements for the export of oil and oil products with both state and private enterprises. The company said Nafta Moskva's commissions would be "minimal".
Nafta Moskva, declaring itself to be the successor of Soyuzneftexport, also said it was "prepared to cooperate with other sovereign states and republics" and intended to become involved "on a long- term basis" in investment projects in Russia and other states.