Polkomtel owners, in no rush to sell their 55% stake

The local owners of second-largest domestic mobile phone firm Polkomtel [PTL .UL] are not rushing to sell their combined 55% stake, a shareholder announc ed yesterday, playing down talk of a deal by the end of the year. Britain's Vodafone has been tipped as the likeliest buyer, after the Polish owners flo ated the idea of a sale last month. "Vodafone and Denmark's TDC each own jus t under 20% of the company and have the right to buy the rest if it comes up for sale, but while the firm's Polish shareholders, power grid operator PSE, oil refiner PKN and copper miner KGHM, have signed a letter of intent to co- operate, it is not binding, and the firms may decide not to sell at all," sa id PSE CEO Stanisław Dobrzański. Analysts estimate Polkomtel to be worth $2. 5-3.0 billion, which would make the sale of a majority stake the biggest tel ecoms deal in the region since France Telecom's purchase of 35% of domestic operator TPSA, in 2000. (Reuters) A.C.