The Algerian government cannot give a timetable for resolving a dispute over Orascom Telecom's Algerian unit Djezzy, said Moussa Benhamadi, Algerian minister for postal services, technology, information and communication. Algeria has blocked Orascom's planned sale of Djezzy to South Africa's MTN, saying it has a right of first refusal to acquire the business, which leads Algeria's mobile market. Egypt's Orascom said last week it would enter talks to sell Djezzy to the Algerian government after weeks of pressure from Algerian officials. Orascom's Chairman Naguib Sawiris said on Wednesday that MTN had offered to pay US$7.8 billion for Djezzy. Benhamadi clarified that the dossier is being seriously dealt with by experts in the Prime Minister's office: "Every country has sovereignty to make the decisions judged necessary for the preservation of its economic interests," he said. "Many countries have taken protectionist measures when circumstances required." Manal Abdel Hamid, spokesperson for Orascom Telecom, told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the company hasn't received any notifications from the Algerian government about the timing of negotiations or its official representative in negotiations. Press releases revealed that Algeria had declared Ahmed Ouyahia, the Algerian prime minister, to be the representative in negotiations with the Egyptian company. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
