Interpipe Ready to Continue Negotiations on Ukrsotsbank Sale

Despite the March 31 deadline passing for the sale of Ukrsotsbank, Interpipe announced that it was ready to finalize the deal with Banca Intesa. The deadline passed because Banca Intesa still had not received new approval from the Antimonopoly Committee as its legal status changed after initial approval following its merger with Sanpaolo IMI in January 2007.