MOSCOW — The National Depository Center has suggested exchanging a 25-percent shareholding in the Depository Clearing Company for a 25-percent stake in the National Depository Center to the RTS Stock Exchange, Andrey Kozlov, chairman of the Center's board of directors and senior deputy chairman of the Bank of Russia, has told journalists today. He believed it reasonable for the RTS to join the Center's members with a share equal to the future share of the Bank of Russia. The transaction would mean an increased influence of market participants on the National Depositary Center's activities, and reduced influence of the state. He said that this issue is first to be considered at consultations, and then official negotiations can be opened.

Kozlov also informed that the Bank of Russia has a 44 percent share in the National Depository Center, according to the results of recent board elections. He did not rule out that the Central Bank's share would decline further on.