VLADIVOSTOK. Aug 30 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has given his general backing to a proposal by Rosneft (RTS: ROSN) President Igor Sechin transfer responsibility for the construction of the Zvezda shipbuilding complex to a consortium of customers.
"If everybody's in favor we'll do it. The question is not to overburden the potential future consortium with complicated elements which would sink the whole construction but at the same time to give them certain obligations regarding cooperation and capacity utilization," Putin said at a conference devoted to civilian ship building.
Putin gave until September 30 to dart the paperwork concerning the transfer.
Sechin made the proposals earlier at the conference. "We've expressed the proposal and we ask that you support the transfer of responsibility for the center's construction to a consortium of customers, financial and technological partners. We're asking you to give the order," Sechin said.
"That proposal is not unreasonable," Putin responded.
The Russian president urged the parties involved to focus on making the shipyard modern, high-quality, and competitive.
"If this consortium consists of potential clients, it needs to be done with maximum efficiency so we get an actually functioning, modern shipbuilding center of a global level and class in the Far East," Putin said.
Possible consortium members, Sechin said, included Rosneft, General Electric, Parker Drilling and Gazprombank (RTS: GZPR).
He said the complex might be transferred to the consortium in its entirety or sold with the state preserving a golden share or option to buy it back.
Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said his ministry generally backed this initiative on the condition the consortium would be Zvezda's main client.