2 giant oil companies merge

(22 Apr 2003) FILE - Central Russia - March 2002 1. Various archive shots of a Russian oil field Moscow - 22 April 2003 2. Wide exterior Ararat Hyatt Hotel 3. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Yukos Chief Executive and largest shareholder, with Sibneft President Eugene Shvidler 4. Cutaway media 5. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Yukos Chief Executive “The merger we announce today will enable us to create new potential for development of the Russian business, particularly for our two companies. Our combined team will have good potential, possibly the best in Russia.“ 6. Cutaway media 7. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Yukos Chief Executive “The projects we are considering implementing in the near-future are quite big and challenging. We need international diversification. We also need to develop new, difficult regions such as Eastern Siberia and the Far Eastern sea shelf. This all requires combined and concentrated effort.“