Kazakh bank BTA posts $13.4 bln 9-month loss

ALMATY, Nov 5 (Reuters) - One of Kazakhstan's largest lenders, state-run bank BTA BTAS.KZ, on Thursday reported a loss of 2 trillion tenge ($13.4 billion) in January-September, calculated to local accounting standards.

BTA, nationalised in February, went into default in April, citing losses due to bad loans and fraud by former managers, who have denied the charges.

Although likely to differ from international accounting data the bank is expected to publish next year, the loss figure is an indication of how much debt BTA needs to have written off as part of a debt restructuring deal it is negotiating with creditors.

According to BTA's financial reports published by the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange, the bank has made provisions against bad loans worth $11.5 billion so far this year.

The bank has asked creditors to write off about $8 billion of its $10 billion debt while creditors have offered a $5 billion write off and are seeking to gain a controlling stake in BTA after a restructuring.

Kazakhstan's financial regulator, which supports BTA's restructuring plan, gave it until Dec. 7 to reach an agreement with creditors. The bank could face bankruptcy if such a deal fails.

(Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by David Holmes)

((olzhas.auyezov@reuters.com; +7 7272 508500; Reuters Messaging: olzhas.auyezov.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: BTA/RESULTS

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