The board of Anglo-Russian oil joint venture TNK-BP Ltd. will examine
information from BP PLC (BP) regarding its alliance with OAO Rosneft (ROSN.RS)
at a meeting on Feb. 18, the Interfax news agency reports Friday, citing TNK-BP
Deputy Chief Executive Maxim Barsky.
In late January, BP formally notified TNK-BP's management of its tie-up with
Rosneft.
"The company is studying this. The board of directors will examine the
issue on Feb. 18. A partnership would definitely be interesting," Barsky
said.
BP and Rosneft announced in January a strategic deal involving a share swap and
development of three Arctic offshore fields. But BP's Russian partners in
TNK-BP--a group of Soviet-born businessmen known as Alfa-Access-Renova, or
AAR
--opposed
the deal, saying it violates the TNK-BP shareholder agreement.
AAR
has said it would be interested in entering the
BP-Rosneft deal.
A TNK-BP
spokesman wasn't immediately able to comment.