MOSCOW, October 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russian company AFK Sistema has made a preliminary bid to participate in a tender for the purchase of the second largest cell phone operator in Turkey, Telsim, the head of Sistema's press service said Monday.
Sergei Filippov said another 15 companies have made preliminary bids.
Telenor of Norway, the Netherlands' Hutchinson Whampoa and Britain's Vodafone had all previously expressed interest in Telesim, which currently has 8 million subscribers.
In September, Sistema registered its subsidiary Sistema Telekoynikasyon Anonim Sirketi in Turkey to carry out market research.
AFK Sistema is one of the largest diversified corporations in Russia, with stakes in companies working in the telecommunications, hi-technology, insurance, real estate, banking, retail and media sectors.
