MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday the government should not discriminate against any market players willing to bid in the privatisation of oil producer Bashneft (MM:BANE), according to a transcript of his interview with Bloomberg.
Answering a question about interest in Bashneft from oil major Rosneft (MM:ROSN), Putin said it was not the best option if one state-controlled company acquires another state company, but the key was who gives the most money for the state budget.
"Rosneft, strictly speaking, is not a state company. Let us not forget that a part of it is owned by BP (L:BP), a British company," Putin said, according to the text of the interview published on the Kremlin's website.