DUSHANBE, April 1, Asia-Plus -- Russia’s open joint-stock company VympelCom has announced appointment of Igor Klimko as director general of the limited liability company Tacom, cellular operator in Tajikistan, Ms. Amrita Kirgizova, public relations officer, Tacom, said. 

Mr. Klimko had formerly been director of VympelCom’s branch in Kaliningrad, Russia.  

According to Dmitry Pleskonos, the VympelCom vice-president for development of business in CIS, Igor Klimko has good experience of managing independent company.  Mr. Pleskonos expressed hope that Klimko will provide further development of Tacom.     

Cellular operator Tacom, licensed to provide cellular communication services in Tajikistan in the GSM-900/1800, UMTS, CDMA-450, and AMPS standards, now functions under Beeline brand.  Russia’s VympelCom assumes the 80% ownership interest in Tacom.      

We will recall that Russia’s cellular operator VympelCom, which works under the Beeline brand, in December 2005 purchased a 60% stake in Tajik cellular operator Tacom for $12 million.  The deal gives to VympelCom the primary right to buy out remaining shares and increase its stake to 100%.

The VimpelCom Group includes cellular communication operators, rendering their services in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. The cellular communications services of VimpelCom Group cover territory having 240 million inhabitants.