Saudi Saad denies its Kuwaiti accounts were frozen

Sun Jun 7, 2009 8:35pm BST
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RIYADH, June 7 (Reuters) - Private Saudi conglomerate Saad Group on Sunday denied a newspaper report that said the Kuwaiti central bank had ordered a freeze on all dealings and accounts linked to the group.

"Saad Group is surprised by the unprecedented campaign led against it by some media ... All what has been raised about the freezing of (Saad's) funds and accounts in Kuwait bears no truth," the group, owned by billionaire Maan al-Sanea, said in an emailed statement.

Kuwaiti al-Rai newspaper reported on Sunday that Kuwait's central bank has decided to freeze dealings and accounts related to Saad Group and to another Saudi firm the daily identified as Abdul-Aziz al-Gosaibi Group.

Citing unnamed banking sources, the newspaper said the two groups owe Kuwaiti banks at least $750 million.

It also said "family disputes were in the process of being solved," but did not elaborate.

"Official parties are backing efforts to reach a solution as soon as possible ... to overcome this dispute, which would lead to greater economic stability," Saad said.

Saad said it has appointed business law firm Lawrence Graham to work with BDO Capital Finance, whose appointment was announced last week to restructure its obligations and those at its Bahrain-based unit, Awal Bank.

In the past week, credit agencies slashed Saad Group's ratings to default status or withdrew coverage altogether, saying Saad had ceased to pay creditors, further deepening the conglomerate's problems.

Saad's woes have rattled a $30 billion empire built by Sanea and represent one of the biggest defaults to hit the Gulf Arab region since the onslaught of the financial crisis.  Continued...

 
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