Dubai’s Emaar Among 15 Cos Interested In Turkey’s Telsim

DUBAI -(Dow Jones)- Dubai developer Emaar Properties (EMAAR.DI) is among the 15 firms that have applied for pre-qualification in the tender for the sale of Turkey’s cell-phone operator Telsim, an Emaar spokesman said Tuesday.

Emaar, the world’s largest real estate firm in terms of market capitalization, has submitted its interest but had yet to receive a response from the Turkish authorities, he said.

Turkey’s Saving Deposits Insurance Fund said Monday that 15 local and international companies applied for pre-qualification in the tender.

The companies include Turkey’s Haci Omer Sabanci Holding AS (SAHOL.IS) and Dogan Sirketler Grubu Holding AS (DOHOL2.IS); the U.K.’s Vodafone Group PLC (VOD) and Russia’s Sistema (SSA.LN), which had already said they had applied for pre-qualification.

Other companies include Norway’s Telenor ASA (TEL.OS), Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Holding (ORTE.CI), Turkey’s KOC Holding AS (KCHOL.IS) and France Telecom SA (FTE).

The bidding deadline is Dec. 5 and the final auction is scheduled for Dec. 13 in Istanbul.

Telsim is among assets taken over by Turkey’s banking watchdog from the bankrupt Uzan family. The savings deposit insurance fund values the mobile operator at $2.8 billion.

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