D.Bahn declines comment on reported plans in Italy
BERLIN, Aug 12 (Reuters) - A Deutsche Bahn [DBN.UL] spokesman declined to comment on a newspaper report that the German rail operator was in talks to take a stake in Italian train operator Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV).
"We don't want to comment on that," the spokesman said in response to an advanced release of the report to run in Tuesday's edition of German newspaper Die Welt.
NTV is a recently formed group fronted by Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the chairman of Ferrari and Fiat (FIA.MI) and one of Europe's best-known industrialists.
"Montezemolo and his partners definitely have sufficient capital for this big project. But the know-how of this sector is missing -- and we have that," Die Welt quoted a Bahn manager as saying.
NTV board member Giuseppe Sciarrone told the newspaper his company was ready to cede a minority stake to a foreign "industrial partner."
"The majority, and with it the control, will remain in Italian hands," Sciarrone said. "But of course we want to forge international alliances."
The German government plans to sell 24.9 percent of Deutsche Bahn's passenger transport, logistics and services businesses in late October or early November in what is set to be Germany's biggest flotation since 2000.
The government expects to raise more than 5 billion euros ($7.5 billion) from the long-awaited sale. Proceeds will be used to fund expansion in Deutsche Bahn's logistics business, including through acquisitions and joint ventures in growth areas. (Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by Braden Reddall) ($1=.6655 euro)
