MOSCOW — Svyazinvest privatization can be postponed until the beginning of 2006, Leonid Reyman, telecommunications minister, has told journalists today. He believes that this issue is of no fundamental importance.

Earlier this month, economy minister German Gref had stated that to sell the state-run shareholding in Svyazinvest before the end of this year, the President of Russia had to sign the decree on excluding the company from the list of strategic enterprises and its privatization no later than end of July 2005. He said, that at the moment the President's decree was being agreed with the federal protection service and the interior ministry. The minister reiterated that the matter concerned privatization of 75 percent minus one share in the company.

As was reported earlier, in April 2005, the economy ministry had submitted the draft decree to the government. Later, the President's administration instructed the economy ministry to agree the draft with some authorities anew.