The German government said
Friday whether E.ON AG (EOAN.XE) sells its stake in Russian natural gas
monopoly Gazprom OAO (GAZP.RS) is up to the utility.
Government spokesman Steffen Seibert declined to say if a meeting between
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin scheduled
for Friday afternoon will bring a decision on the matter.
"Of course it is up to E.ON to decide how it manages its asset portfolio,"
Seibert told reporters in a press conference.
His comments come after recent speculation that E.ON is considering selling its
3.5% stake in Gazprom, worth around $4.5 billion.
People familiar with the matter earlier this week said E.ON is in talks to sell
the stake as part of a large-scale EUR15 billion selloff plan to Russia's state
development bank Vnesheconombank, or VEB.
E.ON Chief Executive Johannes Teyssen has deemed the stake in Gazprom as
"non-strategic."
E.ON earlier this month announced a major strategy shift, deciding to reduce
its exposure to European markets and shift focus to emerging markets with more growth.