MOSCOW — Russia's Economic Development and Trade Ministry has issued a draft of guidelines on the privatization of Svyazinvest, a major telecommunications holding, a ministry source said Monday.

He said the draft had been submitted to the government for approval on Friday evening.

The state is the company's core shareholder, with 75%-1 stake (50%+1 belongs to the Federal Agency for the Management of Federal Property, 25%-1 is held by the Russian Federal Property Fund). The Cyprus-based consortium Mustcom Ltd. owns a blocking 25%+1.

The holding comprises seven large regional communications companies and has a voting majority in Tsentralny Telegraf (Central Telegraph), Dagsvyazinform (a communications and information company in Daghestan, a Russian republic in the Caucasus), the national long-distance operator Rostelecom and Giprosvyaz, Belarus' project and research enterprise.

Svyazinvest also has a blocking share in the Moscow City Telephone Network.