Independent Information Agency publishes the interview with MMC Norilsk Nickel CEO Mikhail Prokhorov. Mr Prokhorov, in particular, mentioned the auction aimed at Sukhoi Log, Eurasian largest gold deposit, selling. In his opinion, the tenders postponing has several reasons underneath. One of them is of concept character and depends on the way the State decides to use its resources, and therefore on the way the tenders will take place, whether they will be in the way of close contest or an open auction.

The second problem is quite technical and is based on Russian legislation and its shortcomings in the field of such contest organisation. Now the Government and the ministry of Natal Resources are making amendments to the current legislation in order to decrease the period of decisions making in the field of deposits selling down to one month.

The Ministry of Natural Resources has already announced that the tenders for Sukhoi Log selling will take place in the forth quarter of 2004.