Moscow: The head of Russia's anti-monopoly agency, Igor Artemev said on Tuesday that he would approve the merger between Russia's Severstal and Luxembourg-based Arcelor.
The merger will create the world's biggest steel maker and make Severstal owner and Russian tycoon, Alexei Mordashov, its main shareholder.
"The decision will be positive, there's no doubt about it," Artemev told the RIA Novosti agency.
Anti-monopoly officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
Arcelor shareholders will consider the merger, which is also subject to approval by EU and US regulators, at a June 28 meeting.
Arcelor, fighting a hostile bid from Mittal Steel Co, said Friday that it had reached a deal with Alexei Mordashov that would give it a controlling stake in Severstal and €1.25 billion (US $1.6 billion) in cash in exchange for Mordashov's getting 32 per cent of Arcelor.
Mittal, meanwhile, is racing to torpedo the deal.
Goldman Sachs Group, Mittal's financial adviser, is calling for the Severstal-Arcelor tie-up to be approved by two-thirds of shareholders.
Arcelor said Friday at least half of its shareholders would need to vote against the deal to block it.
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