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A recent revision of the Swiss Law on Telecommunications (telecoms law) has brought a change of certain provisions of the Swiss Criminal Code. The impact on banks and trade businesses tape recording conversations with their business partners is considerable. The recording of telephone conversations is subject to provisions of civil and public law. The Swiss Civil Code and the Swiss Code of Obligations provide general rules on the protection of personal rights.

Presidential Decree No. 696, which became effective on June 16 1998, has clarified the rules for the issue of Eurobonds or other international debt placements by regional governments within Russia. Generally, the Decree imposes new restrictions on these activities by regional governments, and seeks to promote sounder borrowing policies. The ministry of finance is granted supervisory authority and made responsible for approving new international debt issues. The new requirements for regional governments placing Eurobonds and other international debt issues include:

Mezzanine debt, until recently a feature only of US project financings, is spreading to projects in other markets. The Asian crisis has increased interest in alternative funding sources. By Alistair MacRae of Norton Rose, Singapore

The Puerto Rico Telephone Authority agreed to sell the majority of its shares in the Puerto Rico Telephone Company to a group headed by a subsidiary of GTE Corporation. At closing, PRTA will receive US$1.875 billion — US$375 million as consideration for the shares and US$1.5 billion as dividend. The dividend will be paid through a loan, to be arranged GTE, from a syndicate of banks to PRTC.

Coca Cola Beverages (CCB), one of the ten anchor bottlers within the Coca-Cola system and the largest bottler of carbonated soft drinks in Central and Europe has been floated on the London Stock Exchange. The flotation valued the company at over £1.7 billion (US$2.8 billion). Warburg Dillon Reed acted as sponsor and bookrunner. CCB was created by the demerger of the bottling business of Coca-Cola Amatil in 12 countries in central and eastern Europe and the acquisitionof The Coca-Cola Company's bottling operations in northern and central Italy.

Maurizia Angelo Comneno, Director of the legal department at Credito Italiano, Milan, talks to Barbara Galli

Issuer: Endesa [Empresa Nacional de Electricidad]

The International Securities Market Association (ISMA) has complained to the EU Banking Federation over its proposal for a European master agreement for repo transactions. ISMA has sponsored its own master agreement the Global Master Repurchase Agreement (GMRA) since 1992 supported by legal opinions from counsel in 30 countries in order to establish a global standard. It argues that an EU agreement is unnecessary and likely to create confusion in the repo market. Thomas Hunzinker, general counsel to ISMA in Zurich, says the draft proposal goes beyond standardizing the different agreements used for domestic transactions in the EU. "We would not be concerned with the attempt by the Federation to standardize national agreements and bring them more into line with European standards but we are concerned if what they are trying to do is to undermine or replace the GMRA," says Hunzinker. "It very clearly refers to a standard document that could be used for cross-border transactions within the EU and that raised a few eyebrows." Hunzinker has tried to clarify the scope of the proposal with representatives of the Banking Federation but has received no reply from the secretary general in Brussels nor from the domestic banking federations which are constituent members. Secretary general of the Federation Nicolaus Bömcke refused to return calls.

Linklaters & Alliance Linklaters & Paines (UK):

The latest WTO negotiations have brought financial services under international discipline for the first time, adding an essential missing piece to GATS. By Peter Morrison* of Clifford Chance, London