STOCKHOLM, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Operator TeliaSonera said on Tuesday it had supplied Swedish prosecutors with evidence that the Gibralter-based firm Takilant, from which it bought telecom licenses in Uzbekistan, was the rightful owner of these licenses.
"Following media reports that there is uncertainty surrounding the ownership of the assets TeliaSonera acquired from Takilant in 2007, TeliaSonera has today provided the prosecutor with documents which confirm that Takilant owned the licenses and frequencies at the time of the acquisition," the company said in a statement.
Prosecutors have frozen a Swedish Takilant account as part of a preliminary investigation into TeliaSonera's purchase after a Swedish television programme alleged the company had bought the license from a firm with close ties to the daughter of Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
TeliaSonera, partially owned by the Swedish state, has denied it did anything wrong and has said it is co-operating fully with authorities.
((Niklas.Pollard@thomsonreuters.com; +46 70721 1110; Reuters Messaging: niklas.pollard.reuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: TELIASONERA UZBEKISTAN/