LONDON, October 11 (RIA Novosti) - The London office of embattled Russian oil company Yukos has denied reports that its Netherlands-based subsidiaries have been involved in any illegal operations.
"Yukos would like to stress that any media reports about the alleged involvement of its Netherlands based subsidiaries in unlawful operations are groundless and have no relation to reality, and must therefore be denied," the company's London office said.
In September and October, Yuganskneftegaz, the company's former core production that was acquired in December 2004 by Russian state-owned Rosneft, demanded that the stock of two Yukos subsidiaries registered in the Netherlands be frozen. Yugansk said that freezing the shares of Yukos Finance B.V. and Yukos International UK B.V. could accelerate an outstanding claim of 2.34 billion euros it has made against Yukos.
While hearings on these claims have yet to begin in Dutch courts, the offices of Yukos' Dutch subsidiaries were searched last week and documents seized.
However, Yukos denied any wrongdoing. The London office said both Yukos subsidiaries had operated in the Netherlands in compliance with external audit procedures, and all legal and banking regulations.
