Reuters (Detroit) - Dutch group Spyker's ailing Swedish carmaker Saab and its counter-parties have agreed in principle on demands set by the government for backing a deal to free up much-needed cash, Sweden's debt office said on Monday.
The government on Friday gave conditional backing for cash-strapped Saab to sell real estate, including its production plant, to Russian businessman Vladimir Antonov and then lease it back.
The government's conditions were that Saab get a market price for the property, that questions about Mr Antonov be cleared up, and that money for the purchase come from a European bank without links to Mr Antonov.
'We have held talks over the weekend based on the three demands that the government made on Friday. There is now an agreement in principle that looks good,' said debt office spokesman Unni Jerndal.
She said the debt office had been in contact with Saab throughout the weekend and had been informed by Saab that the carmaker and its counter-parties had reached an agreement in principle.
'It is about fulfilling these demands, and we see that it looks good. We will make the formal decision once the final details are settled,' she said, adding that a decision would probably come soon.
