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VimpelCom Deal Doubts

VimpelCom investor Alfa Group has not decided whether it wants the deal to acquire most of Naguib Sawiris’ telecoms assets to continue if the Algerian government nationalizes Orascom’s assets there, the Financial Times said Thursday, citing Alfa Group.

Telenor, the second-biggest shareholder, also has concerns about possible regulatory objections in Pakistan and Bangladesh, the newspaper reported.

An Algerian paper reported that the integration of Orascom’s Tunisian assets is also facing opposition from that country’s government.

The Tunisian ministry for technology and communications has asked Qatar Telecom to exercise its pre-emptive right to buy the 50 percent of operator Tunisiana that it doesn’t own, the report said.


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