Chinese, Hong Kong banks interested in Russian eurobond issuance — deputy PM

BOAO /China/, March 24. /TASS/. Chinese banks as well as Hong Kong lenders are interested in participation in the Russian eurobond issuance, Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich told TASS on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Thursday.

"I think that Chinese, including Hong Kong partners may be interested in participation [in the Russian Eurobond issuance - TASS]," he said, adding though that the financial institutions will take decisions themselves regarding particular volumes.

Also, Dvorkovich said, certain US and EU banks may agree to participate in the Russian eurobond issuance despite the authorities’ recommendation. "It is not necessarily the case that all European and American banks will refuse [to participate in the Eurobond issuance - TASS]. I think some will take another, individual decision," he said.

"It is not necessarily the case that all European and American banks will refuse (to participate in the Eurobond issuance - TASS). I think some will take another, individual decision," he said.

In February, the US investment banks received a recommendation from the State Department and the US Treasury to refrain from buying Russian government bonds as such operations would contradict the sanctions policy toward Moscow. Following the move a number of the American financial institutions decided to follow the recommendation.

According to the information provided by the Russian Economic Development Ministry, proposals have been sent to Barclays, BNP Paribas, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Bank of China, Wells Fargo, VTB Capital, Gazprombank, Goldman Sachs, J. P. Morgan, Deutsche Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Credit Agricole, Credit Suisse, Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Sberbank CIB, Citigroup, Societe Generale, TD Securities, HSBC, RBC Capital Markets, UBS.

Russia’s budget for 2016 provides for the possibility of borrowing up to $3 billion internationally.