Sberbank of Russia offered to buy BTA Bank (Kazakhstan)

/REUTERS, Moscow, February 4, 09/ - Sberbank of Russia confirmed it was handed an offer to buy Kazakhstan largest bank BTA Bank, however, it is not decided yet if Sberbank will close the deal, head of the bank German Gref informed journalists on Wednesday. "This does not mean that we are going to tie up the deal, we have no reaction so far, everything will depend on conditions of the deal", - he said. At the beginning of the week a Reuters source, close to negotiations, informed Sberbank is intending to buy up to 100 % of BTA Bank shares. On Monday Kazakhstan authorities in the person of Fund Samruk-Kazyna issued a statement on redemption of 78.14 % of BTA Bank shares. In his turn, Kazakhstan prime-minister Karim Masimov announced Fund Samruk- Kazyna entered negotiations with potential strategic investors in regard of retransfer of a part of shareholding. Sberbank already has a 100 % subsidiary in Kazakhstan. [2009-02-05]