OREANDA-NEWS. On 07 July FC URALSIB as a majority shareholder of BANK URALSIB (RTS: USBN) announced that it will consider the possibility of acquiring Bank minority stake/a part of Bank minority stake, belonging to the Republic of Bashkortostan, till August 1, 2008.

FC URALSIB is informed that late February 2008, 8.38% (17.107 bln. of ordinary shares) of the Bank share capital was included into the state property privatization forecast plan of Bashkortostan for 2008 within the framework of privatization program 2008-2010 (7.41% of the stake is held by the Ministry of Territorial and Property Relations of Bashkortostan, 0.97% - by the Government of the Republic). The Bashkortostan government evaluated the stake in the amount of 7.152 bln rubles.

FC URALSIB states its willingness to consider the possibility of acquiring the minority stake. The issue will be discussed in the framework of the collegial bodies within the Financial Corporation by August 1, 2008.

The Republic of Bashkortostan is one of the key regions of the Bank group's activities. The Bank intends to develop its further relations with the Republic in the same scope and intensity.

At an early date FC URALSIB will not consider the issues on acquiring other minority stakes.