Russ Oil-Gas

RBC, 24.01.2007, Moscow 09:45:37.A decision in principle has been passed in the Kremlin on Rosneft's secondary public offering, in the course of which up to 25 percent of the company's shares will be sold, the RBC Daily newspaper reports. The size of the flotation practically coincides with the amount of a loan the company was promised late last year by a western bank syndicate ($24.5bn) to acquire assets in Russia and abroad. Analysts believe that the new placing will take place no earlier than in the third quarter of 2007, and that the proceeds will be used to pay back an earlier loan secured by Rosneft to purchase YUKOS assets.