Mysterious Investor Wants to Pay Yukos Debts

The investment group Nafta Moskva officially refuted a report that its owner Suleiman Kerimov had been in talks with Yukos president Steven Theede to take over the oil firm?s debts, Interfax reported.

?Neither Nafta Moskva nor its official representatives have held any talks and have no intention to hold any talks related to Yukos, or to acquisition of the company?s shares,? a statement released by Nafta Moskva reads.

Earlier on Friday, the Kommersant business daily said that Suleiman Kerimov, a billionaire member of Russia?s parliament, was negotiating with Yukos management to take over its multi-billion-dollar debts.

Yukos board chairman Viktor Gerashchenko told radio station Ekho Moskvy last week that a mysterious investor had proposed to the owners of the oil firm to pay its debts and take it over.