Moscow. July 18 (Interfax) - BP has welcomed the fact that the Russian Federal Migration Service temporarily extended TNK-BP Chief Executive Robert Dudley's current work visa.
"Leading Russian law firm EPAM, which BP has retained to advise on matters related to the current TNK-BP shareholder dispute, including the associated issues impacting the TNK-BP joint venture, has issued an opinion which fully supports the view that Mr. Dudley's employment contract is valid, and that he is therefore entitled by law to receive a new work visa," the statement says.
It was reported earlier that the Federal Migration Service on Friday granted Dudley a 10-day Russian visa valid until July 29 to settle corporate problems. Dudley's current visa expires on July 19, and had it not been extended, he would have had to leave Russia, although he would have retained the right to run TNK-BP.