Fitch Ratings assigns Astana Finance's EUR40m upcoming bond expected 'BB+' rating

/Fitch Ratings, London/Moscow, December 19, 07/ - Fitch Ratings has today assigned Kazakhstan-based JSC Astana Finance's ("AF") EUR40m 7.875% fixed-rate notes issued under its USD2bn global medium-term note programme an expected 'BB+' rating. AF is rated Long-term foreign currency IDR 'BB+'/ Negative Outlook, Short-term IDR 'B', Long-term local currency IDR 'BB+'/Stable Outlook, National Long-term 'A+(kaz)'/Stable Outlook, Support '3', Individual 'D/E', Support Rating Floor 'BB+'. The issue is expected to be senior unsecured and due 8 June 2010. The issuer will be Astana Finance B.V. and the guarantors will be AF and AF's subsidiary, JSC Astana Finance Leasing Company. The final rating is contingent on the receipt of final documentation conforming materially to information already received. The new notes will be consolidated and will form a single series with AF's EUR300m issue of notes, also due 8 June 2010. For more details on the structure of this transaction, please refer to Fitch's announcement of 24 May 2007, available on the agency's website at www.fitchresearch.com. AF is 25.5%-owned by the municipality of Astana, but the municipality is to be replaced by Kazyna in Q108. AF provides long-term project finance, leasing and mortgage services, mainly in Astana and the surrounding Akmola region. It also provides various investment-banking services and is also growing its business outside its home region. Contacts: Maxim Miller, Moscow, Tel.: +7 495 956 9901, James Longsdon, London, Tel: +44 207 417 4309 Media Relations: Alla Izmailova, Moscow, Tel: +7 495 956 9903; Hannah Warrington, London, Tel: +44 (0) 207 417 6298 [2007-12-21]