MeritaNordbanken has reached 98.7 per cent of the shares in Christiania Bank og K

MeritaNordbanken has reached 98.7 per cent of the shares in Christiania Bank og Kreditkasse MeritaNordbanken Plc´s offer to acquire all shares in Christinania Bank og Kreditkasse ASA has been accepted by shareholders representing 88.7 per cent of the total number of shares. In addition, MeritaNordbanken owns 9.99 per cent of the total number of shares. This means that MeritaNordbanken is in control of 98.7 per cent of the shares. MeritaNordbanken has filed an application for concession from the Norwegian Ministry of Finance and a notification to the Norwegian competition authority. Settlement will be made through payment of the offer price, NOK 49, plus accrued MeritaNordbanken Plc´s offer to acquire all shares in Christiania Bank og interest in accordance with the terms of the offer, when all conditions for the offer have been satisfied, mainly through necessary approvals from the authorities. Without undue delay thereafter a mandatory offer for acquisition of the remaining shares will be made. This mandatory offer will have an acceptance period of four weeks. The offer price will be the same as for the public offer, NOK 49. No interest compensation will be given in that offer. After settlement of the mandatory offer, the remaining shares in CBK will be subject to a compulsory acquisition. MeritaNordbanken will become the owner of such remaining shares when decision on compulsory acquisition has been made. For further information: Erik Evrén, Group Media Relations +46 8 614 8611 Maria Snöbohm, Group Legal +46 8 614 7243 Even Bratsberg, Thommessen Krefting Greve Lund, +47 23 11 12 04 NOT FOR DISTRUBUTION IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/11/10/20001110BIT00710/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/11/10/20001110BIT00710/bit0002.pdf