T.Italia says US SEC investigating Argentine unit

ROME Dec 21 (Reuters) - Telecom Italia's (TLIT.MI) chief executive said on Monday the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had asked it to provide documents about the forced sale of its Telecom Argentina (TEC2.BA) (TEO.N) unit.

Telecom Italia has been told to sell its stake in Telecom Argentina, listed in Buenos Aires and on Wall Street, by Argentina's antitrust authority.

"We have received this request from the SEC," Franco Bernabe said on the sidelines of a news. "When the SEC opens such an investigation the first thing it does is ask for all documents."

Asked if the SEC investigation could delay the sale of the unit, Bernabe said: "I don't think so, there is no problem."

On Monday, Italian daily La Stampa reported, citing a report in Argentine newspaper La Nacion, that the SEC's investigation could create tensions between Argentina and the United States.

La Nacion newspaper reported on Sunday the Miami regional office of the SEC had sent a letter to the New York office of Telecom Italia asking for information about exchanges between the company and potential buyers of its Argentine affiliate.

La Nacion said the SEC asked for records of communication between Telecom Italia and the Argentine government and asked for information about potential buyers and about sanctions the government has applied to Telecom Italia in Argentina. (Reporting by Alberto Sisto, additional reporting by Fiona Ortiz in Buenos Aires; Editing by Dan Lalor)