STOCKHOLM, Nov 4 Reuters) - Swedish telecom operator TeliaSonera has hired investment bank UBS to advise it on a planned sale of its businesses in the region it calls Eurasia, UBS said on its website.
"UBS Limited is acting as advisor to TeliaSonera on the potential disposal of its Eurasian assets," UBS said in the equity research section of its website where required regulatory disclosures and potential conflicts of interest are listed.
It was not clear when the statement had been published on the website and a UBS spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. A TeliaSonera spokesman said several advisors had been hired for the sale but declined to name them.
Telia said in September it wanted to exit the seven countries, which account for around 30 percent of group core earnings, as some crucial problems remained unsolved despite years of work to improve corporate governance.
The businesses have a combined book value of around 20 billion Swedish crowns ($2.3 billion), Telia said.
TeliaSonera and the Swedish government have used UBS for deals in the past. UBS advised TeliaSonera on a deal in Nepal in 2013. The bank also advised the Swedish government when it sold Telia shares in 2007. The Swedish state remains Telia's biggest owner with a 37 percent stake.
($1 = 8.5657 Swedish crowns) (Reporting by Sven Nordenstam; additional reporting Olof Swahnberg)