The Bank of Latvia has approved Rietumu Banka to acquire Eesti Ühispanks shares in Saules Banka

The Bank of Latvia has approved Rietumu Banka to acquire Eesti Ühispank's shares in Saules Banka The disposal of Saules Bankas is in line with Eesti Ühispank's strategy. Eesti Ühispank is now a subsidiary to SEB, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, and has in that way access to SEB's international network and products for the international market. The approval admits Rietuma Banka to start due diligence already next week. SEB is a major shareholder in three Baltic banks: Esti Ühispank with 390,000 customers, 70,000 e-banks customers and 64 branch offices in Estonia, Latvijas Unibanka with 318,600 customers, 22,000 e-banks customers and 70 branch offices in Latvia and Vilniaus Bankas with 244,500 customers, 7,000 e-banks customers and 60 branch offices in Lithuania. SEB is a financial group focused on e-banking, savings and growth companies. The Group has approximately 20,000 employees and is represented in some 20 countries around the world. SEB has today approximately 630 retail and private banking branches, mainly in Sweden, Germany and the Baltic region and 720,000 e-banking customers in seven countries. During the current year SEB will start online brokerage service in Germany and e-banking in England. Read more about SEB: www.seb.net For further information, please contact: Mats Kjaer, President SEB Baltic Holding +46 40 66761 01 Gunilla Åkerblom, Head of Communication, SEB Baltic Holding+46 8 639 26 07 Lotta Treschow, Head of Investor Relations SEB +46 8 763 95 59 ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/12/22/20001222BIT01030/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/12/22/20001222BIT01030/bit0002.pdf