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Privatization of Russia's Alrosa maybe be held after 2017

TASS reported earlier that the plan for privatization in 2017-2019 contemplates lowering of Russia’s participation interest in the charter capital of Alrosa to 29% plus 1 share

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Alrosa will not be privatized in 2017, Deputy Finance Minister Alexey Moiseev told reporters.

"If it happens, it happens later," Moses said, commenting on the company’s possible privatization in 2017.

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TASS reported earlier that the plan for privatization of Russian state-owned assets in 2017-2019 stipulates lowering of the government’s participation interest in Alrosa diamond miner to 29% plus 1 share.

"The plan [on privatization in 2017-2019 - TASS] contemplates lowering of Russia’s participation interest in the charter capital of Alrosa to 29% plus 1 share and coordination of sales of shares owned by the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and in municipal property," a source familiar with the approved document told TASS.

Alrosa is the world’s largest producer of diamonds in terms of production volume.

Russia’s largest cut diamonds producer Kristall was also included into the 2017-2019 privatization plan, the source added. Kristall is the Russia’s largest producer of cut diamonds and one of the largest diamond cutting companies across the globe.

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