WASHINGTON, March 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The South
African mobile phone company MTN today strongly condemned
Turkcell's attempt to use the threat of a U.S. legal claim to
extort money from MTN. The company also strongly criticised
Turkcell's refusal to cooperate with the independent investigation
that MTN has set up, headed by the eminent British supreme court
judge, Lord Hoffmann.
Turkcell had threatened MTN with litigation in the United States alleging claims of
corruption in relation to MTN's bid to participate in the second
mobile phone network in Iran. In 2005, a consortium that
included MTN was awarded the licence. MTN have appointed Lord
Hoffmann to lead an independent investigation of the
allegations. Although MTN believes there is no legal merit to
Turkcell's claims and no basis for a U.S. court to consider them,
it had nonetheless sought to obtain Turkcell's cooperation with the
independent investigation.
Talks between MTN and Turkcell have broken down as a result of
Turkcell's extortionate demands for damages and their threat to
start a frivolous lawsuit in the U.S. MTN is committed to resolving
the issue through Lord Hoffmann's inquiry.
"Turkcell's threat to abuse the U.S. legal system to pressure
MTN will not succeed," said an MTN spokesman. "MTN wants
Turkcell's cooperation with the independent investigation."
Turkcell's accusations involve conduct alleged to have taken
place in South Africa and
Iran, and have no connection to
the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court is widely expected
to restrict such claims in a case that was argued last
week.
Lord Hoffmann, who was born in South
Africa, is widely regarded as the pre-eminent legal figure
in the United Kingdom over the
last 20 years. He has a strong reputation for
independence. Over a long career, he has proven his
willingness to challenge the actions of governments of all
political persuasions.
MTN is a leading mobile telecommunications group, operating in
21 countries in Africa,
Asia and the Middle East. It works in some of the poorest
countries in the world where widening use of mobile telephones has
been a major force in economic and political liberation. MTN
remains committed to its operations in Iran and elsewhere on behalf of all its
customers. South Africa has not imposed any economic sanctions
against Iran. Working with international legal advisors, MTN
has maintained its policy of operating at all times within the
various international sanctions regimes which apply to
Iran.
Issued by MTN Group Corporate Affairs
About the MTN Group
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a multinational
telecommunications group, operating in 21 countries in Africa, Asia
and the Middle East. The MTN Group
is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: "MTN." As
of December 2011, MTN recorded 164.5
million subscribers across its operations. Visit us at
www.mtn.com.
For more information, please contact:
Xolisa Vapi on +27 83 200 4363 or email:
vapi_xo@mtn.co.za
SOURCE MTN Group